American Girls: Is there a future?

There seems to be a growing number of young American girls emerging at tournaments and winning occasionally.  In a few years we will know for sure if any of them pan out to "replace" the Williams sisters, though that will definitely be difficult.  I wanted to profile a few of them here.

First, one player that has been around a little while and represents the "lost generation" of American tennis.  I mean, how can there be hardly any Americans between 22 and 29 years old?

Bethanie Mattek-Sands:  Rochester, MN, born 3/23/85 (26 yrs old)
Current rank:  31
Career high:  31 (current)
Best slam performance:  '08 Wimbledon (4th round)
Recent highlights:  Quebec F ('10) (l. to Paszek), Hobart F (l. to Groth), Paris SF (def. Petkovic), Madrid QF (def. Schiavone, Ivanovic), French Open 3rd Rd (def. Pennetta)
Comments:  BMS qualified for the French Open and Wimbledon last year while this year she will be seeded at Wimbledon.  She has put together some fairly consistent results and is a threat to take down the top players, particularly on hard courts.

Christina McHale:  Teaneck, NJ, born 5/11/92 (19 yrs old)

Current rank:  71

Career high:  71 (current)

Best slam performance:  '09 US Open (2nd round)

Recent highlights:  Indian Wells 3rd Rd (def. Kuznetsova), Charleston QF (def. Hantuchova, Kleybanova), won Rome ITF event

Comments:  Seems to be the leading edge of the young Americans and has shown some affinity for clay.  She is the youngest player in the top 100. 

Melanie Oudin:  Marrieta, GA, born 9/23/91 (19 yrs old)

Current rank:  82

Career high:  31 (4/19/10)

Best slam performance:  '09 US Open (QF)

Recent highlights:  Has struggled this year, making just one tour QF, and that via walkover in Fes.

Comments:  Broke out in '09 with a 4th Rd at Wimbledon (def. Jankovic) and QF at the US Open (def. Dementieva, Petrova) and then made the Paris SF in '10, but has really struggled since, leading me to wonder if the summer of '09 was a one-time thing.  

Vania King:  Monterey Park, CA, born 2/3/89 (22 yrs old)

Current rank:  85

Career high:  50 (11/6/06)

Best slam performance:  '09 US Open/'11 French Open (3rd Rd)

Recent highlights:  Qualified and won 1st Rd match in Madrid (def. Petrova), no tour QFs.

Comments:  Has found a groove in doubles with Shvedova having won 2 doubles slams last year.  Has shown competence on clay, but hasn't had too much singles success recently. 

Coco Vandeweghe:  Rancho Santa Fe, CA, born 6/12/91 (20 yrs old)

Current rank:  98

Career high:  89 (4/18/11)

Best slam performance:  no main draw wins

Recent highlights:  Memphis QF, in '10 Tokyo QF after qualifying (def. Rezai, Goerges), San Diego QF after qualifying (def. Zvonareva)

Comments:  Has struggled somewhat this year, but showed real promise last summer/fall with some big wins.  Was thrown into the fire during the Fed Cup final and performed poorly and some believe this has thrown her career off track.  Also she was a girls slam champion ('08 US Open).

Alison Riske:  Pittsburg, PA, born 3/7/90 (21 yrs old)

Current rank:  105

Career high:  104 (5/9/11)

Best slam performance:  no main draw wins

Recent highlights:  Birmingham SF in '10, QF in '11, has made 1 ITF final and 2 additional SF

Comments:  Has a good grass record, we will see what she can do at Wimbledon.  

Irina Falconi:  Portoviejo, ECU, born 5/4/90 (21 yrs old)

Current rank:  109

Career high:  107 (5/23/11)

Best slam performance:  no main draw wins

Recent highlights:  Won 2 main draw matches after qualifying (Charleston, Brussels), in ITF events made one final and one additional SF, also had a very good record in ITF events at the end of last year.

Comments:  Continues to turn up in main draws but hasn't had too much success in tour level matches.  

Jamie Hampton:  Auburn, AL, born 1/8/90 (21 yrs old)

Current rank:  117

Career high:  116 (4/4/11)

Best slam performance:  no main draw wins

Recent highlights:  Has won 1 tour level main draw match this year (Miami) but has qualified for several other events.  Also won an ITF event last fall.

Comments:  Similar record to Falconi, but she did win a girls doubles slam ('09 AO).

Sloane Stephens:  Plantation, FL, born 3/20/93 (18 yrs old)

Current rank:  128

Career high:  128 (current)

Best slam performance:  no main draw appearances

Recent highlights:  Beat Hampton in main draw match at Indian Wells, beat Oudin in main draw at Estoril.  Has qualified for several tour level events as well.  Won clay ITF event this year.

Comments:  Also had a main draw win at Indian Wells in '10.  A little younger than the others and has shown more promise than many of them, at least based on results and head-to-head meetings.  Won 3 girls doubles slam titles in '10 with Babos of Hungary.

Honorable mention:  Lauren Davis, 17-yr-old who just turned pro at the AO after a stellar record in juniors to end '10.  Madison Keys, 16-yr-old who nearly beat Schnyder at Miami.