The Spanish Armada in Full Sail

Ive just been reading one of the Spanish Tennis Blogs and though I already knew that the Spanish Armada were very prominent among the top players I had never actually sat and worked out just how many there were.

There are nine ranked in the top 50. Their ages somewhat surprised me as the youngest is Ramos at 24 and Ferrero the eldest at 32.

There are five in the top 20. i.e. Nadal, Ferrer,. Almagro, Verdasco and Feli Lopez.
Two of these are 30 years old.

. We have had other eras when it has been Australia (both men and women) and USA (men and women) Yet both these nations are now a "bit thin on the ground" with regards to their top players.
It would be interesting to hear if you have any theories as to why Spain should be so successful at the moment.

I think the burning question is:

What is Russian tennis doing so well? 15 players in the mens and womens top 100.

What is Spanish tennis doing so well? 18 players in the mens and womens top 100.

Answers on a postcard to:

Roger Draper
Chief Exectutive of LTA
National Tennis Centre
100 Priory Lane
Roehampton
London
SW15 5JQ

H-n : Hard to say really.

With nine in the top 50 there's no doubt they're doing extremely well numbers-wise ; perhaps they're all somehow 'feeding' off each other, in a sort of spirit of communal success. Although that's hardly the most scientific or rational of theories !!

I doubt that Ferrero (and what about the ageing Ferrer and Lopez ...?) will be around for too much longer, so do you know if there is any promising new young talent coming through ?

And of course Spanish domination in the football world too over the last few years. But that might all change in the coming days.......

lkv2 : excellent point re Russia - even allowing for the much larger population available to draw on

I must admit lags Im not myself sure as to why it should be.. I do think there is a great team spirit amongst the Spanish players and in fact sport as a whole but there must be more to it than that. Lets face it , it cant be because of a huge injection of money into the Sport I dont have to tell you what the economic climate is here. Perhaps because they have taken to the sports fields by way of entertainment I dont know. Certainly the cycling teams should be doing well I nigh on get run over by the beggars every time I take my dog for a walk

Also, remember Murray trained in Spain.

ESP...

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=1&c=ESP#
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=101&c=ESP#
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=201&c=ESP#

USA...

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=1&c=USA#
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=101&c=USA#
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=201&c=USA#

AUS...

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=1&c=AUS#
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=101&c=AUS#
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=201&c=AUS#

GBR...

Sole player in Top 100. Murray...

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=1&c=GBR#
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=101&c=GBR#
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=201&c=GBR#

RUS...

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=1&c=RUS#
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=101&c=RUS#
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=201&c=RUS#

ITA...

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=1&c=ITA#
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=101&c=ITA#
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=201&c=ITA#

FRA...
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=1&c=FRA#
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=101&c=FRA#
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=18.06.2012&r=201&c=FRA#

PS: FRA looks very healthy.

Also

France have 16 players in the mens and womens top 100

Italy have 10 players in the mens and womens top 100

USA have 15 players in the mens and womens top 100

I think that 5 MEN in the top 20 is something to be proud of though

It is amazing to think that 5 countries account for nearly 32% of the players in top 200 players.

H-n : Well the Spanish climate is hardly a hindrance ...!!

And of course the weather might also be a factor for the likes of Italy, USA and (to an extent) France too.

The USA additionally has the major advantage (if that's the right term....) of a large population of course, as does Russia too. Although in the case of the latter, climate can definitely NOT be claimed as a bonus .....

Well of course I understand that as far as clay court tennis is concerned
Spain have a distinct advantage.

No but I daresay Russia are more indoor hc specialists than the Spaniards.
Verdasco and Lopez are both happier on hc but Im not sure as to the others

legendkillarV2 wrote:It is amazing to think that 5 countries account for nearly 32% of the players in top 200 players.

Amazing in a way lkv2 BUT ....... there's a part of me thinking that such figures were, very likely, even more 'skewed' in past generations.....(??)

I hereby throw down the gauntlet to laverfan - who I'm confident can regale us with some interesting hard facts on that one

Lopez - 2 HC titles
Verdasco - 2 HC titles

Davydenko - 7 HC titles
Youzhny - 5 HC titles

lags72 wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:It is amazing to think that 5 countries account for nearly 32% of the players in top 200 players.

Amazing in a way lkv2 BUT ....... there's a part of me thinking that such figures were, very likely, even more 'skewed' in past generations.....(??)

I hereby throw down the gauntlet to laverfan - who I'm confident can regale us with some interesting hard facts on that one

60's mid 70's large in part dominated by Australians no doubt.

Mid-late 70's-90's dominated by Americans.

I would hate to hazard a guess at percentages though.

There was a good amount of Swedes high up in the rankings (men at least) in the 1980's and 90's.

Borg/Wilander/Edberg/Enqivist/Bjorkman. That is off the top of my head.

I can't speak for Russia, but everywhere you look in Spain, Italy and the south of France there are public tennis courts -- mostly clay -- with children of primary shool age playing and being coached on them. Also, at the tournaments hosted by these 3 countries, children under 16 are allowed in free or at a much reduced rate (witness "Children's Day" at the French Open).

Perhaps the culture of encouraging children to play the sport and to attend tournaments has something to do with these countries' success at the professional level.

lags72 wrote:
I hereby throw down the gauntlet to laverfan - who I'm confident can regale us with some interesting hard facts on that one

Aye, Aye, Sir!

Great stats. With surfaces being slower than before I think the clay upbringing for spanish players makes their groundstroke game so strong and apply to many of the surfaces so much better.

Indeed so much so that the USTA want to "fit" European red clay courts througout the US to give their players a better grounding. Patrick McEnroe has commented how much better the technique is for Spanish players vs. US homegrown who tend to have big serve and big FHs due to HC preponderance. We could do with a few more in UK too...even suits the rain better!

legendkillarV2 wrote:Borg/Wilander/Edberg/Enqivist/Bjorkman. That is off the top of my head.

Jarryd and Pernfors are two others I remember from the 1980's.

Re the OP:

I think Spain has invested a lot in sport since the 1992 Olympics, but it's perennially had good clay-courters, Cyclists, and footballers. It may be right to look to Bruguera in the early 1990's as the Spaniard who really broke through in the Open Era and may have helped influence a generation of followers. Also, in Bruguera's time you were either a clay-courter or a fast-courter, now those brought up on clay courts have a fair crack at events outside the clay world.




Dare one mention Operacion Puerto?