America's tennis troubles

Gambill was unable to win for McEnroe

BBC tennis correspondent Iain Carter examines the lack of promising young players emerging from the United States.

Andre Agassi's Las Vegas mantelpiece boasts the Australian Open men's singles trophy, Jennifer Capriati's Florida home is adorned with the spoils of her women's title, yet tennis in the US is heading for a major crisis.

Here in Britain we bemoan the lack of talent beneath our top two players, Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski, and a similar scenario is developing stateside.

It was brought into sharp focus last weekend when the Americans were knocked out in the first round of the Davis Cup World Group.

Gambill fails to compare with Sampras, Agassi et al.

Agassi and Pete Sampras have turned their back on their country (disgracefully in my opinion, but it's their loss) and so it was left to Todd Martin and Jan Michael Gambill to take on a one man team in Switzerland.

Even without the availability of his top two, American captain Patrick McEnroe should have been celebrating victory in his debut match in charge.

And surely he would have done had it not been for the one world class player the Swiss can boast.

The prodigiously talented 19-year-old Roger Federer won both singles rubbers and in the doubles teamed up with Lorenzo Manta to beat Gambill and Justin Gimelstob, giving the home nation an unassailable 3-1 lead.

The result condemns the Americans to a humiliating relegation match later this year which they would have to win to retain their World Group status.

It may even be against Britain if Roger Taylor's side can overcome Portugal at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena in April.

Make no mistake, the US are no longer a super-power in tennis terms. Agassi and Sampras are in the twilights of their careers, so is Michael Chang, Jim Courier has retired and Martin is at the veteran stage.

Capriati: US remain strong in women's game.

Despite reaching the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year, Gambill, 23, has not threatened to come anywhere near the achievements of the generation above him.

The Omaha-born 18-year-old Andy Roddick, who won the dead rubber in Basel, offers the only hope having finished last year as the world junior No 1.

The women's game may also prove a saviour, but that's dependent on the longevity of Capriati, Lindsay Davenport and most importantly the Williams sisters.

Just three Americans made it into the draw for the Girls singles at last month's Australian Open and of those Ashley Harckleroad is regarded as the most promising.

There are wider implications to the dearth of American talent. US based sports manufacturing giants Nike and Reebok pump millions into the game, but if it is seen to be withering on home territory they're bound to think twice.

Both Roddick and Harckleroad have shown the promise to suggest they can enjoy glorious careers, but the chances are they are going to have to shoulder a huge burden of expectation of unprecedented proportions and from all quarters in their quest to succeed.