ESPN Tennis

The crown jewels of the U.S. winter, Indian Wells and Miami, have passed. Now the crown jewels of the European spring, Madrid and Rome, loom.

Which players need good results in the next few weeks to give them a boost at the French Open, which starts in three-and-a-half weeks? These six, for a start.

Men

Andy Murray: Murray reached the French Open semifinals for the first time in 2011. Coming off a miserable Indian Wells and Miami, Murray got a dose of confidence by landing in the semis in Monte Carlo and Rome. At the latter, Murray should have downed Novak Djokovic and ended the Serb's marathon winning streak.

They were the springboards to his Roland Garros success.

This clay-court season hasn't begun well for Murray. The Scot blew a set advantage and was toppled by Tomas Berdych in the Monte Carlo quarterfinals. Berdych is a more experienced player on dirt and can still overpower anyone on his day, so it wasn't a huge surprise.

However, Murray's quarterfinal loss to Milos Raonic in Barcelona was a stunner. Murray usually swallows up big servers, and Raonic is a clay-court novice.

Earlier-than-expected losses in Rome and Madrid might chip away at Murray's belief heading into Roland Garros, even with Ivan Lendl in his corner.

John Isner: Losing early in Rome and Madrid wouldn't necessarily affect Isner's confidence at the French Open. With that big serve, he can turn things around in an instant.

Take 2011. Isner went 2-4 on European clay leading into Paris, then almost engineered one of the biggest upsets in Grand Slam history, winning the first two sets off eventual champ Rafael Nadal in the first round.

But we expect more from Isner at the two Masters events in 2012, and so, surely, does the 6-foot-9 Isner. He has raised expectations after going 4-0 on European clay in the Davis Cup, ousting the likes of Roger Federer in Switzerland and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Monte Carlo.

With Mardy Fish's health a question mark, Isner will likely be the U.S. No. 1 in Paris.

Note that the last U.S. man to reach a Masters quarterfinal on clay was Andy Roddick three years ago in Madrid.

Nicolas Almagro: Almagro excelled (as usual) on the Latin American golden swing. Surprisingly, though, he was making an effort and doing the business on hard courts, too. In four hard-court tournaments prior to the European clay-court stretch, he had only failed to reach the quarterfinals once, in Miami, where Almagro let Fish off the hook in the fourth round.

So according to the script, Almagro, back on dirt, was supposed to be a major threat in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. It didn't happen. Go figure.

Almagro lost to Stanislas Wawrinka in the third round in Monte Carlo; Wawrinka remains dangerous, yet Almagro didn't put up much resistance, falling 6-3, 6-3. He was felled by Raonic in the same round in Barcelona.

Women

Li Na: Li is a confident player, and the Chinese baseliner was in the right frame of mind entering the French Open last year, given she had advanced to the final four in both Rome and Madrid.

With Danish coach Michael Mortensen on her team, Li's level rose further at Roland Garros and she became China's maiden Grand Slam singles champion.

But if Li thought expectations back home capsized for the rest of 2011, imagine what fans in China will be expecting at this edition of the French Open.

Li must go deep in Rome and Madrid again as she gears up for her title defense in France. Li has reached the quarterfinals at three straight tournaments, but like in Indian Wells and Miami, she disappointed once there, this time squandering a one-set advantage to Agnieszka Radwanska in Stuttgart.

Francesca Schiavone: The swaggering Schiavone, 2010 French Open champion and a finalist last year, is nowhere to be found. An already dismal season has worsened for Schiavone after switching to clay.

Deciding she needed more matches, Schiavone accepted a wild card into Barcelona, but as the top seed, the Italian was humbled in the first round -- in straight sets -- by Olga Govortsova.

On this occasion, the Fed Cup didn't relieve Schiavone, as she then lost both her encounters in straight sets. There was reason for mild celebration in Stuttgart, with Schiavone winning a round -- before Petra Kvitova crushed her.

Could playing at home in Rome be the spark? Who knows? Only once in the past six visits has Schiavone achieved a quarterfinal, although it was in 2011.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova: When Pavlyuchenkova is on, the Russian can dictate, no matter who the opponent. But Pavlyuchenkova has rarely been in form in 2012, compiling a dismal 3-11 record heading into this week. She's been, easily, one of the most disappointing players on either tour.

Perhaps this month's Fed Cup semifinals will prove to be a turning point. After going 0-2 in singles, a coach on the Russian team said Pavlyuchenkova's fitness simply wasn't good enough. That part of her game has been questioned in the past.

Even though Pavlyuchenkova lost her next match, in Stuttgart, she extended Julia Goerges to three sets.

Pavlyuchenkova has significant points to defend in Madrid, Rome and the French Open, where she reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the first time before succumbing to nerves in her match with Schiavone.

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- The mission in Miami was straightforward: Show up and play exceptionally well. Two players did that better than anyone. And not by coincidence, they happened to also win the respective singles titles. So mazel tov, Novak Djokovic and Agnieszka Radwanska, you are worthy champions.

But, believe it or not, a whole lot more transpired. Here are our top 10 takeaways from a tournament rife with entertainment and unexpected drama:

1. Listen to me, would ya?

Don't you just want to give Maria Sharapova and Andy Murray a good old finger-wagging, in-your-grill lashing on how to win? Maria, please stop making those silly mistakes. Andy, why can't you play the important points better? If only it were so easy to follow these directives, we might have two different champions at the podium. Alas, the stubborn ones find themselves the bridesmaids again. But before we get too down on Murray and Sharapova, let's consider the good: Murray was, after all, playing the world's greatest player. No one, but no one, has found the necessary ingredients to blunt Djokovic's pristine play in these mandatory tournaments. But the saga of the mercurial Murray has gone on for so long that you wonder if he'll ever find a way to leverage his dynamic shot-making during key moments. As for Sharapova, lest we forget, she's been a top-tier player going back almost a decade now, finishing in the top 10 every year since 2004, except for 2009 and 2010. That's an incredibly hard feat. She's come back from a career-threatening shoulder injury and still sits at No. 2 on the world. But Sharapova, by her own admission, knows only one way to play: fast and furious. If she could channel just a little Caroline Wozniacki and stick with the point a shot or two longer, who knows? For now, second place will have to suffice for these two.

2. A new breed of success

Radwanska won the Sony Ericsson Open with a brand of tennis that's tricky to explain. She's defensive-minded, as we know, but she also plays a beguiling style that her opponents don't seem to like very much. Radwanska is kind of like Wozniacki in her overall approach, but with more creativity. She's a little bit like Jelena Jankovic, but with superior precision. Her unassailable attention to detail and her unique tactical approach have vaulted her up the ranking to No. 4. But, like Wozniacki, you wonder how high the ceiling is. You also have to wonder how long until the power hitters figure out how to crack her craft, much like they did versus Woz. But for now, Aga, as she now likes to be referred to, is doing all the little things right, which is leading to some big results.

3. You sure fooled us

Venus, Venus, where have you been? There were few people in and around the game who gave her any shot of producing a decent result, considering her extended time away. Venus Williams, who surmounted a few arduous three-setters to reach the quarterfinals in Miami, might not move with fleet of feet, which she never really has, and sometimes appears to be limbering along with almost no footwork. But she can still serve some serious heat, and she can also end points early when she's in the right position. That'll be a lethal combination at the All England Club. Plus, her five previous Wimbledon trophies suggest she has an inkling on how to make a healthy living on those lush lawns.

4. Rafa, don't be so sad

In a vacuum, Rafael Nadal appears to be your typical superstar going through a few rough patches. But if you parse it closely, the issues are a lot more disconcerting: He hasn't won a title in a year, his knees are hurting and he's obviously ticked off by his inability to persuade the ATP brass to adopt his views on a scheduling reform and a two-year ranking system. And he's even more vexed that his greatest on-court rival, Federer, won't use his vast influence to help push his agenda. Nadal's overall dour disposition came to light at Key Biscayne, even before pulling out of his semifinal match against Murray. The grind of the tennis season takes a hefty toll, especially for someone who plays as punishing as Nadal. If he's not in the right frame of mind, 2012 could be a long season. Fortunately for him, the clay circuit, his longtime oasis, is next on the calendar, but you get this uneasy suspicion that things might not work out for him quite the way they have in the past.

5. Welcome to planet Earth, Vika

You can't win them all. Well, Victoria Azarenka did until finally conceding to Marion Bartoli in the quarterfinals. But don't get too worked up. Azarenka's level and, more so, her will to win from the onset of the season have greatly changed from a year ago. For Bartoli, she's made a nice living thwarting the game's giants. She ended Serena Williams' run at Wimbledon last year, and in 2007, Bartoli reached the final of Wimbledon before running into a far superior Venus Williams. As we reported last week, Bartoli actually has 12 career wins over top-five players. But as for Azarenka, she should fare quite nicely on the dirt. Azarenka's irrepressible mindset is a good match for the surface, which requires maximum physical output.

6. Slow down, boy

It was clear from the beginning that the slower conditions here in Miami were going to be a considerable obstacle for Roger Federer to overcome. The courts themselves are slightly faster than at Indian Wells, but the high humidity caused the ball to almost poof up after hitting the ground. Federer's stout strokes were clearly nullified, and Andy Roddick capitalized. Of course, it didn't hurt that Roddick played "like the No. 1 player in the world," as Federer said after the match.

7. Woz up with that?

Say what you want about the most scrutinized player on the WTA. But Wozniacki showed she has enough game to hang with today's power players, when she wants to. Against Sharapova, she was in it until the bitter end when a controversial call (albeit the right one) on a Sharapova serve led to an abrupt ending to the match. But Wozniacki showed some pop on her own serve and, on occasion, some oomph in her groundies. Perhaps she is taking a small step toward making the requisite changes everyone knows she needs to make.

8. Going, going … gone!

It was a pretty amazing scene on center court this past Friday afternoon. With the air yanked out of the stadium after Nadal withdrew from his semifinal match against Murray, world No. 1 Djokovic galloped onto center court a couple of hours later for a practice session. But first, he began taking … batting practice as his hitting partner pitched ball after ball to him. Djokovic used the handle of his racket as a baseball bat and smacked some prodigious home runs into the sparse, but suddenly galvanized, crowd. This was, obviously, intended for the amusement of the fans, but you couldn't help but admire his superb hand-eye coordination.

9. Ewww!

Radek Stepanek has to be ugliest dressed tennis player -- maybe ever. (Well, perhaps second to Dominik Hrbaty, but that's a conversation for a different day). Forgive the hyperbole, but his garish blue-checkered, wannabe golf shirt crammed way too tightly into his slightly-longer-than-John Stockton-wore white shorts probably turned a few heads away. If you don't believe me, just ask de facto fashionista Sharapova, who named Stepanek as one of the worst-dressed athletes when she briefly was given the editorial keys to a 2011 issue of ESPN The Magazine. It didn't help that his doubles partner, Leander Paes, was donning a pretty hideous florescent lime green top. Together, well, let's just say he would not pass the Tommy Hilfiger "American Idol" design test.

10. Juan's the Mon-aco

Many a tournament, especially those with slower conditions, often produces an unexpected floater deep into the draw. It was Juan Monaco's time at Key Biscayne. You'd think that Monaco would be outclassed versus Roddick and Mardy Fish -- and certainly Djokovic, even after a bleak opening set. But his modus operandi -- don't stop, don't ever stop -- drove his opponents crazy. He actually made the aforementioned Americans look, dare we say, old and slow. In the end, Djokovic outplayed the spritely Argentine, but with the clay season just moments away, you had better watch out, 'cause Juan is coming for you.

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- That perpetual cycle of on-again, off-again American tennis success. It's vicious, isn't it? Kind of drives you a little bonkers.

One day we're doing cartwheels over the return of Andy Roddick. The next, we're left wondering how his incandescent performance against Roger Federer could so swiftly devolve into a crushing defeat to the spritely legs of Juan Monaco.

One day we're abuzz over the return of Serena Williams, the return of her hulking groundies and the sheer power she generates on nearly every shot. The next, we're trying to wrap our collective brain around how the game's most scrutinized retriever, Caroline Wozniacki, could so skillfully render the strong one, well, not so strong.

One day we're lauding the return of Venus Williams, who made an inspired journey to the Sony Ericsson Open quarterfinals, which included three consecutive three-set wins (and four overall). The next, we're asking whether she fell asleep on the court versus Agnieszka Radwanska. Hey, you snooze you lose.

One day we're applauding John Isner's polished all-court game and his inclusion into the game's inner sanctum. The next, we're puzzled by his return to the mere mortals after an early exit here in Key Biscayne.

One day we're finally reconciling that Mardy Fish's sudden ascendance a year ago was a thing of the past. The next day, we're anointing him the best U.S. tennis player -- again -- after becoming the last Yank standing.

Confused? Head spinning? You're not alone. If there's one thing the current state of U.S. tennis has taught us, it's that we know nothing. It's a veritable pogo stick competition. Up and down and all around. Dizzying. The U.S. contingent is riding a high one moment and bottoming out the next.

The tale of American tennis doldrums is nothing new. For the men, it actually dates back about a decade. We know that you know the last time any U.S. male won a Slamaroo was Roddick in 2003. All fine and good. Well, not really. But we're not expecting anyone to scale these major mountains anytime soon. These pockets of promise, though, are a cruel tease. They lift your spirits and give you hope. This, before the inevitable collapse.

Fish, who cracked the top 10 for the first time last year, ended 2011 as the No. 8-ranked player. The age of 30 is an unusual time for someone to string together a career year and finish with a personal-best 43 match wins. He played with the proverbial pep in his step after his ballyhooed weight-loss regimen and earned well-deserved praise. But this season, before reaching the quarterfinals of Miami, he won consecutive matches just once. And let's face it: If Fish is going to build any kind of momentum, it had better start now. Because after Miami, it's on to the clay, which guarantees an allergic reaction from the Americans.

"It's a really tough time looking at the schedule for Americans," Fish said of the clay season. "It's almost impossible. We have to be over there for Madrid and Rome. What do you do? Do you go after this, stay there for seven weeks, or do you come back and then go back over and have a week and a half off?

Roddick played inspired, offensive-minded tennis versus Federer, his first win over one of the big-three behemoths since thwarting Rafael Nadal in Cincinnati two years ago. But he, admittedly, was in no position to go much further.

"When you have to make a quick recovery, it will expose you if you're not in shape," Roddick said after losing to Monaco. "Most people can play a match and it's fine. It's the recovery where it kind of defines you."

There will be more questions regarding the current state of the Americans. Serena, perhaps the biggest anomaly in today's game, always seems to be a prohibited favorite, no matter how sparingly she plays. But it's now been more than a year since she won a Grand Slam, and you have to start speculating whether she's cut out for the grind. Serena still looks imposing on the court and, unlike Venus, she isn't slowed by injuries and other maladies. But Serena's inability to fight through adversity, which was readily apparent against Wozniacki, has to be a problem moving forward. After the loss, Serena said she has to figure out how to play better when she's struggling.

The problem is, she isn't. The slow decline especially came to light at the Australian Open, where Serena showed little interest in a straight-sets smackdown to Ekaterina Makarova. And at this point in her career, if she can't ratchet up her energy and performance at a major, then what?

As for Isner, he probably deserves a mulligan after his run to the Indian Wells final. But if he wants to compete with the best, he has to find ways to avoid the lulls, which have set him back before.

The performances at the Sony Ericsson Open are just another week of vertigo in the ever-morphing state of U.S. tennis. You never know what you're going to get. So tame your excitement and accept the disappointment, but relish the good moments, too. This is American tennis after all -- for better or for worse.

Editor's note: The tennis season now over, it's time to look back. Novak Djokovic was no doubt the player of the year, but there were many memories to savor. Beginning Dec. 12, Ravi Ubha unveils his top 100 memories of the 2011 season. Check back each weekday until Dec. 23 as we count down to No. 1.

30. Henin retires, again

Unlike her fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin's comeback didn't produce any Grand Slam titles.

This season, a nervous-looking Henin flopped in Melbourne, falling to Svetlana Kuznetsova in the third round.

Still hampered by an elbow injury sustained, ironically, against Clijsters at Wimbledon last year, Henin called it quits for the second time.

"I had hoped for a different return and dreamed of a different ending," Henin said.

Why Henin couldn't wait until the Australian Open ended to make the announcement is beyond many.

29. Woz's mystery man

No, not Caroline Wozniacki's boyfriend. We knew who that was pretty early: Rory McIlroy.

Rather, Wozniacki kept everyone guessing about the identity of her new coach.

The Dane reportedly began working with the mystery person in the summer, although she wouldn't name names. Wozniacki sent video tapes of her practice sessions to the new coach, getting help from afar.

Wozniacki managed to stay mum during the U.S. Open, too.

Earlier this month, however, a Danish newspaper reported that Spaniard Ricardo Sanchez -- who teamed with another Slam-less No. 1, Jelena Jankovic -- got the job.

28. It had to happen

What were the odds of John Isner and Nicolas Mahut meeting in the first round at Wimbledon? More than 140-1. So call it destiny when it happened.

"I joked with Nic last week, sent him a text saying, 'Just watch us play the first round,'" Isner said the day the draw was made. "He replied, 'No, that's not cool,' but now it's happened."

The rematch didn't live up to the immense, and understandable, hype.

Far from a 70-68 fifth set on Court 18, Isner eased past the slightly injured Frenchman 7-6 (4), 6-2, 7-6 (6) on the new Court Three.

27. Fed finally wins Bercy

It was one of tennis' minor mysteries: Why hadn't Roger Federer ever reached a Paris Masters final? He'd played at Bercy eight times.

If ever there was a time to end the slump, it was this season since he didn't have to contend with Novak Djokovic (who bailed mid-tourney), Rafael Nadal (who skipped the event) or Andy Murray (a quarterfinal loser).

And sure enough, an inspired Federer swept to the title, not dropping a set.

"It's a special victory," he said.

26. Not so Fab

When two clay-court specialists met in the fourth round of the French Open, it was pure drama. We shouldn't be surprised that one was Fabio Fognini, given his late-night thriller against Gael Monfils last year.

Fognini saved five match points while essentially playing on one leg against veteran Albert Montanes, who tensed up at crunch time. But instead of Fognini being remembered as a hero, the Italian will go down as a villain for demanding -- and receiving -- a medical timeout when it appeared he was simply suffering from a cramp. Timeouts can't be called for cramps, and the educated folks at Roland Garros knew it.

Fognini was mostly booed when the 4-hour, 22-minute marathon concluded.

Perhaps to prove he was injured, Fognini bailed from his quarterfinal against Djokovic, altering the course of history.

25. The grudge match

David Nalbandian and Lleyton Hewitt don't particularly like each other.

There was that bump in their Australian Open quarterfinal in 2005, and on the eve of a Davis Cup semi a year later in Buenos Aires, Nalbandian said he couldn't "wait for [Hewitt] to have a taste of Argentine hospitality."

When Hewitt drew Nalbandian in the first round of the Australian Open this January, the prematch hype predictably overflowed. Thankfully that match didn't disappoint.

Devoid of any ill temper this time, the two hip-affected veterans battled for five sets and nearly five hours, with Nalbandian prevailing 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (1), 9-7 after going into semi-tank mode when down a break in the fourth. He saved two match points, one with an outrageous half volley.

"It was that kind of match that nobody will forget it," Nalbandian said.

24. Kangaroo court

Obviously keen to give reporters something to talk about besides her Slam-less No. 1 label, Wozniacki took things to another level in Melbourne.

Besides setting the agenda for one of her news conferences, Wozniacki claimed a scratch on her leg came courtesy of an encounter with a kangaroo in Melbourne.

A wire service ran the story, only to have Wozniacki tell reporters later that it was a concocted tale.

"I'm sorry if I caused an inconvenience," Wozniacki said.

23. Fed punishes Rafa

Federer was in a confident mood as he prepared to face Nadal at the year-end championships. And he had every right to be considering his title at the Paris Masters and the fact that Federer had never lost to the Spaniard indoors.

Things went even better for Federer than he would have imagined.

He crunched winners from all over the court and comfortably defended Nadal's heavy crosscourt forehand.

The final score read 6-3, 6-0, Federer's most lopsided victory in their 26 encounters.

"This win ranks high because it's against my biggest rival, probably," Federer said. "It was a great match for me from start to finish. I've felt the power of Rafa in the past."

22. Slammin' Sammy upsets Serena

When Serena Williams reaches major finals, she usually wins. Entering 2011, her record was a sterling 13-3.

And when she was pitted against Samantha Stosur in the U.S. Open finale, not many gave the Aussie a chance.

But Stosur hardly blundered.

The serve and forehand worked great, as did her backhand, Stosur's weakest shot off the ground. She handled the occasion well, overcoming a minor blip after Williams clashed with the chair ump.

"I had one of my best days, and I'm very fortunate that I had it on this stage in New York," Stosur said.

Potential realized.

21. Kvitova storms to Istanbul title

To simplify matters: When Petra Kvitova is on her game, not many can beat her. Serena Williams is one of those few.

But with Williams and Clijsters absent from the year-end championships, no one managed to derail the Wimbledon winner in Istanbul.

This was the tournament -- not Wimbledon -- where Kvitova realized she's one of the best players, if not the best, in the world. She felt comfortable on the big stage.

Kvitova will be on the big stage for many years to come.

SANTIAGO, Chile -- It didn't take Jim Courier very long to figure out the hardest part of being the U.S. Davis Cup captain.

"There's nothing that isn't fun, but I think the thing that gives me the most anxiety is not getting in the guys' way," said Courier, who made his debut as captain this past weekend when the U.S. reigned over Chile 4-1 to move into the Davis Cup quarterfinals against Spain.

"We're still getting to know each other in that drama and fire situation. That's the learning curve with me -- to know when to say something and when to shut up. And it's hard for me to shut up."

Courier certainly got the know-when-to-butt out portion of the job quickly. He showed that skill during the Bryan brothers' victory over Chileans Jorge Aguilar and Nicolas Massu. The Bryans were down a break at 5-4 in the third set and needed to break to save the set for a straight-sets victory.

"When they were down a break, on the changeover, I didn't say anything," Courier said. "I could see it in their eyes. It's one of those moments that they've been in that situation before, sitting side by side so many times, and gotten out of those situations. I just let them do their magic. I'm there to support them but not there to get in their way."

In retirement, Courier has become an enthusiastic businessman running InsideOut Sports & Entertainment. But when the opportunity to become the Davis Cup captain was presented last year, he jumped at the chance.

"As a player I always thought that this would certainly be something if I was ever given the opportunity I would want to take advantage of," Courier said. "It's pretty well-documented how passionate I was about Davis Cup as a player. To be alongside these guys and the other American players I hope will participate over the years I will be in this chair is important to me. The things that matter are the majors and competitions like Davis Cup. These guys are going to create memories for themselves, and I'm glad to be here with them."

Almost from the outset, Courier promoted the concept that the 2011 U.S. Davis Cup squad would be a six-man endeavor -- Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish, John Isner, Sam Querrey, Bob and Mike Bryan would all travel to ties, when possible, even though only four guys could play.

For this first-round outing, injury and illness made the decision about who would play easy: Fish was still dealing with a thyroid problem and Querrey had a sore serving shoulder, so both stayed behind.

As the weekend in Santiago unfolded, there was a constant quest to have the players grade Courier's inaugural performance as captain. Courier joked that "They're not allowed to talk about that."

But the four-time Grand Slam champion, who played on the winning U.S. Davis Cup squads in 1992 and 1995, had nothing to worry about at all.

Roddick hadn't played Davis Cup since 2009 and said he missed the "spirit" of the competition, but he was also lured back to the fold by the opportunity to play for Courier.

"He was great," said Roddick, after he clinched the tie, beating Paul Capdeville to give the U.S. an insurmountable 3-1 lead. "You know, when you're with one person [former captain Patrick McEnroe] for 10 years, you might expect a little bit of an awkward transition but that wasn't the case. Jim stepped right in, but he didn't start this week, he started as soon as he got named. He's been the captain for four months.

"It's been a very, very open line of communication. I think he had the right approach in saying we have a six-man team for the year and who plays each individual tie is not so relevant."

Bob Bryan agreed that Courier has proven to be a quick study at captaincy.

"We love playing for Jim," Bob said. "When Patrick stepped down we were all excited to see Jim step in. He's doing a great job so far. He's one of the boys, he's a really smart coach and he has passion for Davis Cup.

"It's fun playing for a guy you idolized growing up."

Interestingly, Roddick was not only impressed by Courier's talent for actual coaching. Most coaches show up on the bench dressed as if they were going to pick up a racket and play.

But not Courier.

"Jim was pretty calm out there," Roddick said. "He had the voice of reason. He had the good dress slacks going. He came out dressed strong. He portrayed a sense of elegance early on, which I thought set the tone."

The plan is to play the quarterfinal tie against Spain on an indoor hard court in July -- Roddick's hometown of Austin, Texas, is the front-runner but Albany, N.Y., and San Antonio are also in the mix as possible venues.

And when they head indoors, don't be surprised to find Courier even more decked out than he was in Santiago. He had asked the USTA if he could dress for success in Santiago -- in a suit, shirt and tie -- and he was told absolutely as long as he wore a suit by Davis Cup sponsor Hugo Boss.

Whatever he wears, Courier proved he's all about business.

Editor's note: Beginning Aug. 16, Ravi Ubha unveils the top 10 U.S. Open questions. Check back each weekday until Aug. 27 as we count down to No. 1.

8. What's the status of the American men?

The apex of American men's tennis gone, it was inevitable that one day no American men would feature in the top 10. The rest of the world has caught up.

But the timing was a little ironic.

As an ill Andy Roddick slipped from ninth to 11th on Aug. 9, Sam Querrey wasn't far removed from claiming his fourth title of the season. Querrey defended his crown in Los Angeles, overcoming one of the world's best players in the process, Andy Murray.

Mardy Fish, Roddick's buddy, is playing the best tennis of his life. Fish won back-to-back titles in Newport, R.I., and Atlanta, bolstered by improved fitness. In fact, he's getting used to earning silverware every week. When his 11-match winning streak was snapped in Washington, D.C., Fish ensured another jubilant weekend by winning the doubles title with veteran Mark Knowles.

John Isner has rocketed to inside the top 20, winning his first top-level tournament in January and prevailing in the longest tennis match in history. (He's sick of talking about it, mind you.) Fourteen months ago, Isner was 104th -- usually the last direct acceptance at majors.

Assuming he returns to good health, and this week in Cincinnati will tell us much, Roddick again leads the U.S. men's hopes at Flushing Meadows. Querrey, Fish and Isner can do damage, though, in supporting roles.

For Querrey, the tournament is particularly vital. Despite the progress (and it is progress), only once in 2010 has the Californian surpassed the third round at a Grand Slam or Masters event. His jubilant fan club, the Samurai, will provide ample backing, again.

A confident Fish is a handful for anyone on a faster surface, as Murray, Roddick and Isner have discovered this summer. He also put up good results prior to the U.S. Open in 2008 -- then reached the quarterfinals in Flushing.

Isner pulled off one of the biggest upsets of last year's U.S. Open, defeating Roddick in five sets. He's now a better player, mature and possessing a big-match temperament. Isner's health is a worry, though, given he injured his ankle Wednesday.

Don't forget Taylor Dent. Dent's victory, and ensuing celebration, after edging Spaniard Ivan Navarro a year ago was one of the most memorable moments in recent U.S. Open history. James Blake's season has been ruined by injuries, and it showed in a 45-minute loss in Cincinnati on Tuesday. Perhaps he can sneak in a win or two at his most productive Slam.

John Isner is close to signing a sponsorship deal with a company in the "endurance" industry, but he isn't being inundated with offers, his agent said.

Isner made history at Wimbledon last week when he won the longest tennis match ever, downing Frenchman Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68 in 11 hours, 5 minutes in the first round. A loser in the second round, Isner returned to the U.S. and made appearances on the "Late Show with David Letterman," "Good Morning America" and CNN.

"I think we might have something in the next two to three weeks," his agent, Sam Duvall said in a telephone interview Thursday. "A lot of people are saying my phone must be ringing off the hook. It's ringing. Most of the time it's been about an appearance here or a media thing there. It's rarely somebody saying, 'We'd like to give John lots of money to do X.'"

The slump in the economy and timing of the match, in the middle of the year, aren't helping, Duvall added.

"And also, do companies want to be aligned with tennis and tennis players?" Duvall said.

Current sponsor Vita Coco, which makes fresh coconut water, is set to boost Isner's profile around the U.S. Open in late August and early September.

Isner, the second tallest man in tennis at 6-foot-9, is now home in Tampa Bay, Fla., getting some rest.

"He's still pretty tired," Duvall said. "He went straight into doing a lot of stuff in New York. He hasn't just taken a day off and lounged. Today was his first day doing that."

A racket and shirt Mahut used in the match will go on display at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I. Following suit, a signed Isner racket is being donated, Duvall said.

Isner's victory at Wimbledon added to his growing reputation. Isner upset former world No. 1 Andy Roddick at last year's U.S. Open, won his first title in January and made his Davis Cup debut in March. His ranking has climbed more than 80 spots to 19th since June 2009.

• Just imagine what next Wimbledon will bring.

Two years ago, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal slugged it out in the best final of all time. Last year, the Swiss and Andy Roddick went to 16-14 in the fifth set. And Thursday, John Isner completed his marathon 70-68 victory over a spirited Nicolas Mahut in 11 hours, 5 minutes.

Actually, going by the world record, that's more than five marathons. Every tennis record, dealing with longevity, fell.

The scoreboard stopped working at one point Wednesday, only to be revived, while chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani's voice cracked periodically. He's a trooper, and like the players, held up.

How can we not devote an entire Seen & Heard to the match?

• Fractionally more than 12 hours after play was halted at 59-59 on Wednesday, Mahut hit the practice courts for an understandably light session.

His fitness trainer, Paul Quetin, couldn't have been more proud.

And here we thought Mahut couldn't outdo his 24-22 third-set win over Brit Alex Bogdanovic in qualifying.

"I'm proud of his attitude, his courage, his competitiveness," Quetin said at Wimbledon's premium practice venue. "He passed all the limits we thought. He's a model for all of us. It inspires us and gives confidence to all the players."

Mahut was inconsolable in the locker room when it ended. He sat, we're told, motionless for a while staring at a wall.

• Patrick McEnroe has gotten to know Isner pretty well, since he's the U.S. Davis Cup captain. He compared the North Carolina native to Joe Montana, having the ability to block everything out and produce at crunch time.

Isner lost a five-setter to Serb Novak Djokovic in the first round of the Davis Cup in March, on the court for a mere 4 hours, 16 minutes that day.

"He's got this uncanny ability, and I noticed it sitting on the bench in Davis Cup, to kind of weather storms and compete," said McEnroe, who's also an analyst for ESPN. "You can't teach that. Obviously he's a competitor and feisty. He's got kind of that X factor and is a gamer. He never gets too high or too low."

• Maria Sharapova will never go to a protracted fifth set, not unless the rules are changed, but she fully appreciated what transpired on Court 18.

"I'd be checking myself into the local hospital," Sharapova said after advancing in 1 hour, 24 minutes. "They've played way beyond whatever I've practiced [a] combined three or four days. I'm still not at nine hours."

• Andy Murray got his kicks playing in front of the queen. His second-round victory over usually pesky Finn Jarkko Nieminen lasted less than two hours.

His take on the Isner-Mahut match?

"It will never happen again -- unless they play next year, maybe," Murray said.

With some calling for a fifth-set tiebreaker at all the majors, given what happened, Murray said we should leave things as they are.

"I think the rules here are very good," Murray added. "They work well. It was a huge, huge story for everybody [Wednesday], and really good for the sport. So keep it as it is."

• Tennis journalist, historian and Hall of Famer Bud Collins said he's already in the midst of updating his most recent book, "The Bud Collins History of Tennis: An Authoritative Encyclopedia and Record Book." It'll be ready by the U.S. Open.

"The most popular word is unbelievable," Collins said. "But it was beyond unbelievable. Both players kept on going, and it was a great moment in the history of tennis. I myself would prefer a tiebreaker in the fifth set. But this had so much drama and the guys played so well that I don't believe we'll ever see it again."

• David Taylor, the Aussie coach of French Open finalist Samantha Stosur, planned to watch Australia face Serbia in the World Cup on Wednesday. Switching on the TV and seeing Isner's battle with Mahut, he couldn't change the channel.

"We were supposed to go out because Sam had a day off," Taylor said. "We thought we'd watch the [soccer], but then we turned the tennis on and then never left. How could you leave it, because you thought when you left it would finish."

• Rafael Nadal, who survived in five sets against Dutchman Robin Haase, had more than a passing interest in the tilt. He'll face either Isner or Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker in the third round.

"It was amazing," Rafa said in his news conference. "I congratulate both players because they did something amazing. To not lose serve all that time is amazing."

• Didn't Lahyani have to go to the bathroom Wednesday, when play topped more than seven hours?

"When you are so focused and every point feels like a match point you just don't even think about eating or needing the bathroom," Lahyani, who officiated the landmark match between Pete Sampras and Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2001, said in a statement. "I travel economy. Seven hours sitting still on a court is nothing."

• From Andy Roddick on Twitter, after congratulating Isner:

"Mahut bad luck but still he is a champion."

Isner said he joined Twitter only three days ago and already has more followers than the Bryan brothers.

3. What hope for the American men?

Remember 2007, when the U.S. men went 0-for-9 in the first round at Roland Garros? It was the first time since 1973 at the Australian Open no American men landed in the second round at a major -- and none was entered that year in Oz.

Although the French Open isn't about to become the U.S.'s most successful Slam, there's reason to be optimistic days before the 2010 edition begins, and that's largely due to the towering duo of John Isner and Sam Querrey.

Isner won his first title in Auckland in January and backed up his showing at the U.S. Open, getting to another fourth round at the Australian Open. The 6-foot-9 slugger hasn't stopped: He was a point away from winning a title on clay in Belgrade and reached the third round in Madrid despite a hellish journey from Serbia to Spain.

Querrey flourished last year, only to be derailed in the fall because of an arm injury suffered in bizarre fashion. Three straight losses greeted the 6-foot-6 Californian to start 2010. Beginning in San Jose, Querrey resumed his rise and topped Isner in Belgrade.

Expect both to at least live up to their seeding, which means getting to the third round. How far they go beyond that is the question. Isner and Querrey are still in the early stages of their careers and keen to climb the rankings, but playing four straight weeks heading into the French (Rome, Belgrade, Madrid and the World Team Cup) isn't advisable, especially for Isner. Given the good friends want to qualify for the year-end championships in doubles, they will probably play doubles, too, in Paris.

Andy Roddick, meanwhile, had no prep at all, spending time with his wife in Hawaii and bailing from Rome due to illness. The French Open is indeed Roddick's lowest priority among the Slams, but the 27-year-old advanced to a career-best fourth round in 2009. Roddick remains one of the tour's best competitors, so if he avoids a floater early, he could land there again, even with the recent inactivity. And the world No. 6 surely wants to get a few matches in, on any surface, heading into the AEGON Championships (Queen's) and Wimbledon. Practice is one thing; matches are another.

Spare a thought for the ailing James Blake, who will miss his first major in six years. A right knee injury has seen the 30-year-old's ranking plummet to 82nd, his lowest spot since August 2005, when he sat at 101st. He'll slip a lot further if unable to defend his points from the Queen's final.

4. Who are the dark horses?

Given that Rafael Nadal is the overwhelming favorite to win the French Open, and Roger Federer is hands down the distant second favorite, any dark horses are more like dark, dark, dark horses. Before Rafa came along, the French Open was easily the most wide-open major.

There are a few dark horses out there, however, and two are fellow Spaniards. David Ferrer is enjoying a renaissance. Ferrer leads the circuit in clay-court victories this season, transferring his success from the Latin American swing to European dirt. Still one of the game's best returners, the aggressive baseliner with the wicked inside-out forehand is on the verge of returning to the top 10 following a two-year absence, which is impressive since he's one of the tour veterans at 28. How can you not like this attitude? Although Rafa sends a message to foes by sprinting to his side of the court as a match begins, Ferrer's boxer-like skip returning serve is pretty menacing. Ferrer showed his heart, again, in saving a match point with a gutsy stretch volley against Marcos Baghdatis in Madrid.

Nicolas Almagro accomplished a rare feat by taking a set off Rafa on clay this spring. Long an underachiever, Almagro possesses a huge serve and rips the ball from both sides. Negatives? There are a few: Almagro's court coverage isn't great, his return of serve on the second serve is predictable (more so on the backhand), and, crucially, unlike Ferrer, he remains shaky between the ears. Prior to Madrid, Almagro was having a dismal clay-court campaign. Reaching the semifinals or losing in the first round wouldn't be a surprise.

A tired John Isner managed to test Rafa in Madrid, and the baby-faced giant from North Carolina is growing in confidence with every tournament, clay included. Ernests Gulbis has matured under the guidance of coach Hernan Gumy (who has experience with jilted geniuses).

Santiago Giraldo might not even reach the second week, but the Colombian newcomer is a Nikolay Davydenko clone, taking the ball on the rise and hitting ultra flat. You won't see many better clay-court performances than Giraldo's against a rejuvenated Juan Carlos Ferrero in Rome. He was unlucky not to beat Isner in Madrid.

On the women's side, Madrid winner Aravane Rezai deserves more attention than first thought. (See question No. 10.) No one, perhaps, hits harder in the women's game than the Frenchwoman, as Jelena Jankovic can vouch for. Rezai's ball-striking against Jankovic in the Madrid quarterfinals wouldn't have looked out of place in the men's game. Spanish late-bloomer Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, whose style is completely different to Rezai's, won in Rome, although she got a fatigued Jankovic in the finale.