Querrey Hit With Great Expectations
Heat Is on U.S.'s Potential 'Next Sampras'; Fish Surprises Close Friend Blake

By Marc Carig
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, August 31, 2008

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y., Aug. 30 -- Sam Querrey gravitated toward tennis just in time to remember when the United States produced many of the game's most dominant players.

And like so many who began playing during that golden era, he couldn't help but idolize Pete Sampras, who always seemed to be playing televised matches on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

"I mean, 1970 to 2005, America pretty much had a number one ranked player, someone who was always [in the] running," Querrey said.

As he grew older, and his focus turned to up-and-comers Andy Roddick and James Blake, the production of Grand Slam-caliber players increasingly became outsourced to other countries. As the search for "The Next Sampras" intensified, so did the clamor for the next great American hope.

Perhaps that's why Querrey's surprising run in this U.S. Open has generated the same key question that has surrounded virtually every promising American player to come along the last several years. Is he the one?

The expectations will only grow for Querrey, who stunned No. 14 Ivo Karlovic, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2. "Feels good," said Querrey, whose performance before a raucous crowd just made the early morning telecasts he used to watch as a kid. "You know, I made it to the CBS weekend. That was the goal."

Querrey's win triggered a Saturday filled with upsets. Japanese teenager Kei Nishikori ousted fourth-seeded David Ferrer, 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 7-5. The upset earned Nishikori a meeting with No. 17 Juan Martín Del Potro, who advanced with a minor upset of No. 16 Gilles Simon, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.

The night ended when Mardy Fish shocked the ninth-seeded Blake, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), before another boisterous crowd under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Not only was the matchup an all-American affair, but a meeting between best friends.

Playing before a crowd that heavily favored Blake -- who is scheduled to be a groomsman at Fish's wedding later this year -- Fish felt the pressure as he tried to close out his comrade.

Up 5-4 and serving for the match in the third set, Fish double faulted twice, critical errors that allowed Blake to break. But Fish gained control in the tiebreaker, closing out Blake with his 16th ace of the match.

"It's tough to figure out the perfect way to react, to have some respect for James and to kind of show how much I cared about that match and how much of an opportunity it was for me," said Fish, who looked to the heavens before starting to the net, where he shook Blake's hand.

Much like Fish did against Blake, Querrey used his big serve to advance. Querrey next plays top-seeded Rafael Nadal, who also advanced on Saturday.

Behind a powerful serve, which is easily his most dangerous weapon, Querrey upped his record to 3-0 lifetime on hard courts against the veteran Karlovic. After the match, Karlovic said only Roddick has a serve tougher than Querrey's.

Even fellow Americans have taken notice.

"I think he's paid his dues," said American Venus Williams, who along with her sister Serena, advanced with a pair of easy victories on Saturday. "I think he's really ready to move forward."

Said veteran American player Vince Spadea: "I think there's always one or two players that learn to pay that price, that bigger price and just look and have that hunger for the bigger stakes. So I think there's probably going to be one or two of those guys. It could be, maybe, Querrey."

Querrey, who turned down a scholarship at Southern California to turn pro said, he is flattered by the attention. But despite tuning out talk about being the great American hope, he admits he senses the urgency.

"I can feel it a little bit," Querrey said earlier this week.

At 20, Querrey is considered to be entering his prime. Before advancing to his first round of 16 in a Grand Slam event, he had offered evidence of improvement, winning his first tour event, in Las Vegas this year.

But, even with expectations growing, Querrey's goals remain modest: Get his ranking into the 30s, earn a seed in next year's Australian Open, and continue to show improvement.

"I've just been working on things that have allowed me to play better tennis," he said. "My backhand is 10 times better. My transition game, coming to the net and being aggressive is better than it used to be. It's starting to show in my matches."