If you had only been following tennis for a year or two, you may not have believed that Sam Querrey was once ranked as high as No. 17 in ATP tennis. Indeed you could have been forgiven for assuming that Querrey would never again be ranked inside the Top Forty.
Querrey has proved evidence to the contrary in 2016. He started with a round-of-sixteen effort in Auckland, losing to close friend John Isner in three close sets, before retiring in the first round of the Australian Open against Dusan Lajovic. A slow start by many accounts.
It was at the Memphis Open that Querrey really began to display form. He reached the semi-finals before a big effort against Kei Nishikori, eventually succumbing in three sets. He then won the title in Delray Beach, his first in nearly four years. Critics may argue that the calibre of his opponents in that match left something to be desired, as Thiemo de Bakker, Tim Smyczek, Austin Krajicek, and a returning-from-injury Juan Martin Del Potro do not shout out world class at this point. Beating an in-form Rajeev Ram in the final was actually excellent as the American, underrated by some, earned his way with impressive wins over Bernard Tomic and Grigor Dimitrov. He could only beat the players he was drawn against, and Querrey did that.
Acapulco is where people should rise and take notice of Querrey again. He dropped just two games against Dudi Sela before a stunning win against Kei Nishikori in the second round, proving that their close encounter in Memphis had been no fluke. Querrey then showed excellent mental strength to deny young American Taylor Fritz, who himself has developed a knack for mental aptitude on court. Querrey joined a growing list of players who have been beaten by the talented Dominic Thiem in the semi-finals. The thing is, this sort of form is not unprecedented for Querrey. It has merely been absent for some time.
I remember a young Querrey who enjoyed wins over then Top Ten opponents Nikolay Davydenko, Gilles Simon, Andy Murray and multiple wins over Andy Roddick between 2009-2010, earning his career high ranking of No.17 in early 2011. A devastating elbow injury, most notably apparent in a famous defeat to James Ward at Queens Club (a tournament where Querrey had been defending champion), signalled a long injury lay-off. Querrey did rebound in 2012, returning to the Top Thirty but his ability to challenge and defeat top ten players seemed diminished. A single victory over an exhausted Novak Djokovic at the end of 2012, and an isolated victory vs Stan Wawrinka (then No.9) in 2013 did little to convince anyone that Querrey could return to his previous heights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neDtPesFohE
A second dispiriting defeat against James Ward in Davis Cup action in 2014 seemed to mark a low point for the Las Vegas resident. Querrey’s form improved a little, reaching the odd final in lower-ranking draws, such as events in Nottingham and Houston, but failing to really challenge anyone around the Top 20. It would have been fair to write Querrey off as a Top Thirty player.
- Arguably Querrey’s worst defeat of 2014, against Great Britain’s James Ward in Davis Cup.
Now Though? Querrey is back to something resembling his best. He is working with what weapons he has, and is limiting his weaknesses. This means that Querrey has become far more aggressive when delivering his first and second serves, already a weapon at 6’6. Querrey has begun stepping into the ball again, often striking from inside the baseline. The result is keeping points shorter and thus more in his control. Perhaps it is new-found confidence from somewhere, confidence that he is finally healthy after having had surgery on a troublesome knee during the off-season. It could be more pragmatic than that, a realisation that his height and average-at-best mobility is going to work against him in longer points, particularly against the likes of the Nishikoris, Ferrers, Murrays, and Djokovics of this world. Querrey probably knows that many players are favourites against him, some that arguably the 2010 Querrey would have been the favourite against. In 2016 rather than becoming negatively affected by this fact, something evident in his past, Querrey has embraced it. A true testament to his character in 2016 was his defeat/victory against Nishikori. He took confidence playing the Japanese star so close in Memphis, and built on that display in Acapulco.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0dzNxl2iW4
- Highlights of Querrey vs Nishikori in Memphis.
Querrey’s improvement has been noticed by his coach Craig Boynton, who also works with Steve Johnson. “Let me put this the best way I can,” he continued. “Sam’s being a lot more resilient and a lot more positive in looking forward. He’s taking care of the task at hand more than worrying about the opportunity lost… he’s eager, he’s motivated, Sam has always had the tennis piece. It’s been a matter of getting to the bottom of some of the issues that were sticking points. We’re building bricks from the bottom up.”
Querrey himself offered some ideas “It was windy at Delray [Beach] No one played that well. A lot of matches I won by fighting and grinding through, winning some ugly sets and points. A lot of times that gives you confidence”
“Especially on break points, deuce points and tiebreakers. It’s about committing to the process of getting better, instead of focusing on just winning a match. I’m hoping that win or lose, it will eventually translate into positive results.”
Querrey has to see the upcoming Indian Wells and Miami Masters 1000s as massive opportunities. He won only one match at the two tournaments combined last year. Querrey in his current form needs a good but not necessarily kind draw to progress further this year. I feel he could easily produce wins against the likes of Kei Nishikori, David Ferrer, Grigor Dimitrov Feliciano Lopez or indeed others likely to be seeded at the first two Masters 1000 events of 2016. Querrey must be considered a danger-man in a draw that he is unlikely to be seeded in.
At twenty-eight Querrey still has the chance to be relevant again in some regard. He has a very real chance of earning a seeding at a Grand Slam. The time may have passed when Querrey could command a regular place inside the Top 20, but if he can sustain the form and confidence displayed in 2016 to date, we may well see Sam Querrey with a seeding next to his name at Grand Slams once again.
