NEW YORK — This was out on the cozy confines of the Grandstand court on Sunday night at the US Open where a raucous crowd was right on top of the players.
The fans seemed split about 70/30 between those supporting Tim Smyczek, the last American man in the draw, and Marcel Granollers, a tall, lanky Spaniard who had his own vocal fans in the house.
With Smyczek having blown a 4-1 lead in the fifth set and now facing a 5-6 deficit, chants of “USA, USA” and “Let’s go, Tim” rang out in the Flushing Meadows night.
“You’re our last hope,” one fan had yelled at Smyczek, channeling his inner Princess Leia.
But the 25-year-old journeyman from Milwaukee whose car ran out of gas earlier in the tournament, couldn’t meet the crowd’s expectations and fell, 6-4, 4-6, 0-6, 6-3, 7-5, thereby making history.
For the first time in the Open Era, there are no American men in the fourth round at the US Open.
Of the 16 men in the fourth round here, 13 are from Europe, one (Lleyton Hewitt) is from Australia, one (Miles Raonic) is from Canada and one (Denis Istomin) is from Uzebekistan.
In fact, no American men made it to the fourth round of any Grand Slam event this year.
“You know, I think it’s tough being judged by just the Grand Slams,” a disappointed Smyczek said.
“I think to be judged on just the Grand Slams alone isn’t quite fair. But I do understand Grand Slams are what makes a career. I think you can expect that to change next year.”
But will it?
Smyczek’s own career trajectory is on the upswing, as he will soon enter the Top 100 for the first time in his career after coming in at No. 109.
He wants to paint a rosy picture for the future of fellow Americans like John Isner and Sam Querrey, and the younger guys like Ryan Harrison and Jack Sock.
“I really think we’re in a good place,” he said. “I think that you can expect some guys that are ranked around 80, 90, 100, to really make a jump later this year and in the early part of next year.”
But what if he’s wrong and this is just the latest sign that American tennis is in the midst of a long, steep decline?
It’s been 40 Majors since an American, Andy Roddick, last won a Major, and that came here in Flushing Meadows.
Gone are the days of Sampras and Agassi, McEnroe and Connors.
“It’s a Long Road Out of Eden,” as The Eagles once wrote.
The “Big 4” of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have won 33 of the last 34 Majors. And all of them, save Federer, are in their primes.
As American James Blake, now retired, said on Sunday on CBS, the gap between the “Big 4” and everybody else seems to have grown.
Whereas there used be maybe 10 or 12 guys who had the chance to win any given Major, now not so much.
At least with Roddick — who retired here a year ago — he always had a puncher’s chance to challenge for a Major because of his big serve and huge forehand.
Roddick at least did win a Major and if it weren’t for Federer’s dominance, might have won a couple more.
The 6-10 Isner is similar in that he will always have a puncher’s chance in any given match because his serve is so huge.
Yet the odds of him putting together two, three or four big wins in a Major seem remote.
Querrey is a nice player, but he’s no threat to win a Major.
And Harrison, Sock, and the other young guys haven’t even pushed themselves into the Top 20 yet.
“I think the very top of the game American tennis is a little bit behind where it has been in years past,” Smyczek said.
“I know we got really spoiled with Pete, Andre, all those guys, and Andy for so many years.
“But, you know, I think it’s also a really exciting time because there’s five, six, seven guys that are hovering right around 100 and have a good chance to make a big breakthrough. You have Harrison back in the top 100, you have Sock who is doing really well, and a bunch of guys just outside.
“I think you can look for American tennis to be on the upswing again real soon.”
Maybe, but there’s no reason to get your hopes up, American tennis fans.
More dark days appear to be on the horizon.
