Reilly Opelka (Photo : Shaun Botterill | Getty Images Sport)
The current crop of top ranked men's tennis players is missing representation from the United States.
The last "golden age" of American men's tennis was in the 90s when Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Michael Chang and Jim Courier were tournament finals staples.
American men's tennis is due for a resurgence in the coming years when their staple of junior Grand Slam finalists march into the ATP.
American juniors Tommy Paul, Taylor Fritz and Reilly Opelka landed in Junior Grand Slam Finals this year and Fast Company recounted their accomplishments.
"Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz squared off in the U.S. Open boys' final, with Fritz taking the title. Earlier this summer, they met in the boys' final at the French Open, with the opposite result. And at Wimbledon, American Reilly Opelka, who clocks in at just over 6-foot-10, was the last boy standing, after defeating the top juniors seed in the semifinals."
Opelka is heralded as the next big thing, literally, as he is a shade taller than John Isner, the highest ranked American at this time, at a towering 6'11."
Inevitably, Opelka has caught the eye of Evan Zeder, marketing head for New Balance who locked the 17 year old after the Wimbledon victory. Zeder sees genuine potential as Opelka has a definite weapon in his game.
"To be a top 10 player, you have to have a big weapon," Zeder assessed. "Reilly has got that in his serve. He's got a lot of potential but he's not rushed, they're doing it in the right way. I've watched him forever, I think he's got a lot of talent and a lot of ability. His serve is still evolving, it's going to get better. And he's got all the other attributes to break serve."
The Boston Globe interviewed Opelka and he is very proud of his comrades. "It's definitely going to take time,'' said Opelka, reached recently in Binghamton, N.Y., where he played in a USTA qualifier. "All of us have a long way to go. Especially now, there's not as many guys who break through at 18 like they used to. I think in a few years, I really hope this group, this generation, is known as some of the best players from the US.''
