I saw an interview yesterday...
About a rising star in womens tennis.
It was about Melanie Oudin, a 17 year old who is ranked 67 in the world
for the upcoming US Open and placed in the top 16 at Wimbledon.
Her coach for the past 8 years is Brian De Villers, and he has a theory
of why there are not more American players in the top World rankings.
He said, "They are too soft in America. There are too many escapes
clauses for the players, whether it be college, or some other choice,
and most come from affluence, so the minute the going gets tough...they
bail.
Hmmm?
Yours in "Thought" - Coach
All those pro tennis players from outside the US came from what? Poverty? No post-secondary options? Are they threatened with knives and forced to play or what? Yeah, I don't buy it. Tennis just isn't as popular here as it is in other countries - I was at a bar in Austria a couple months ago that was crowded with people watching a tennis match. I should have taken a picture...
Here's a thought: Maybe some coaches are too dismissive of their players?