Donald Young | Rise and Fall of the American Tennis Prodigy

Watch this video ad-free on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/cult-tennis-...
Once America’s best hope as the savior of USA tennis as a junior tennis prodigy, Donald Young has disappointed many in his inability to consistently succeed as a professional on the ATP Tour. Today’s video essay documents his history, rise, and fall in his conquest to become a champion.
CULT TENNIS brings you player profiles and analyzes some of the best stories in the world of Tennis! Subscribe to see more content like this, and thank you for stopping by!
--------------------------------------------------------------
/ culttennisyt
/ culttennis
--------------------------------------------------------------

[@stefanc4520]

"... the US Open, tennis most prestigious tournament...." Wimbledon would like a word.

[@darthgorthaur258]

Damn right it would like a word...an to slap him upside the head lol

[@KruxisV]

@@Mixcoatl Lol imagine actually trying to come back with the "you can't tell me I'm wrong because I'm a dumbass" defense lmao

[@tobiasgoldman]

@@Mixcoatl I would rank the French Open AND Wimbledon as above in prestige to the US Open, and I've watched tennis my whole life.

[@RugbyRyan]

@@Mixcoatl if you want to be technical, tennis was really invented in France so maybe the Rolland Garros is more important from a historical standpoint but Wimbledon is def the most prestigious and most important tournament/most fun to watch tournament.

[@sneakyvictorsneakyvictor7658]

Wimbledon and Roland Garros more prestigious than the US Open.

[@VodkaHellstorm]

Not a tennis guy, but this dude seems like he shouldn’t really be a meme? He’s had a pretty damn good career. Sporting history is filled with players who showed young talent that either peaked too early or were just over-anticipated. Those careers are nothing to be ashamed of.

[@possesedcake5422]

I mean he was hyped too be one of the greatest players ever but he never won a title

[@balmorrablue3130]

As a tennis guy who was a young junior when young was at his fame peak he really is a meme

[@mikejunior211]

@@possesedcake5422 But that was not his fault...The media and trainers tend to inflate average players hen they are young.

[@mikejunior211]

@@balmorrablue3130 Like Severus Snaoe would say. Fame isn't everything.

[@possesedcake5422]

@@mikejunior211 well it is his fault for not rising to the occasion, well yes it is the media’s fault the fault is also on him we’re he couldn’t deliver

[@ChrisTennis]

Not cracking top 20 ranking, not winning ATP events, doesn't make him a failure. He's just a mortal man like most of us.

[@Ryan2022]

He simply never grew. We thought he was going to look like Djokovic. Instead he’s like 5’10” with the narrowest set of shoulders on tour. He simply does not have the body to generate a massive power required to win on the men’s tour consistently. And if anyone thinks he was going to be a freak at his height like David Ferrar you must be out of your mind that guy is one in 1 million and even he couldn’t win a grand slam against he’s taller guys. Donald young gets over powered by top 50 pros. These guys are simply much bigger than he is. Guys like Belluci and Meltzer Kill the ball

[@mrwetframe]

@@Ryan2022 what about Diego Schwartzman? I don’t think power generation was an issue.

[@kaceyzeiltritch7374]

@@mrwetframe he's busy showering everyone with their 1st top 10 win by being an embarrassment. He's simply still 10 bc of freeze

[@funkslave9425]

@@Ryan2022 he's listed as 6 foot. Not sure why everyone seems to think Donald is short

[@Ryan2022]

@@funkslave9425 I think there’s two things. One when we were excited about his potential we thought he was gonna be 6 foot two or 6 foot three and two A list him at 6 feet but if you ask me I don’t think he’s barely 5 foot 11

[@MrJohnnyblazed]

I practiced with Donald a few times I've never seen such incredible angles. I think perhaps he may have been too talented for his own good. Then things came too easy for him in his Junior career. He didn't realize what it takes to work hard and physically develop? Still managed to make 4.7 million dollars and reached 38 in the world

[@parischarles]

i don’t know why the video is calling this a failure, still a great career for the man at the end of the day all while sticking with his parents the whole way through

[@williamford9564]

A third of that money went out in taxes and it can cost $100-200,000 a year to play to tour in travel, lodging, food and etc. $4.7 million over 15 years is $300,000 plus so there is not much left. With his performances I doubt he is still getting much money from endorsement contracts.

[@MrJohnnyblazed]

@@williamford9564 Donald was sponsored by the USTA ( all his tournament expenses were paid by the USTA) And don't forget about Donald's Nike contract

[@jackwilliams5223]

@@williamford9564 I'll take That Loot in a heartbeat!

[@petert.c6254]

@@parischarles dude it is a failure because it's not only the absolute results that matter on this, which we could Say are ok for any average pro tennis player, but he was supposed to be far more better, and the important thing here is that he actually got a lot of help, resources, wildcards and everything and still had below average results for the top 100, it's really funny to see people saying he didnt get enough help because he was black, let me put an example, here in Argentina we don't have 15 atp tournaments a year (which translates into wildcards and opportunities without travelling far) and the help from our tennis federation almost doesnt exist, Diego Schwartzman didnt get an atp wildcard until he was 18, and also didnt even play junior Grand slams because he didnt have money to travel, also didnt have huge sponsors, yet hes a consistent top 10 player right now, so what i'm trying to say is, when you get such a huge Boost like young had, and you can't even get to the top 20, it really means a failure, but it's ok tho, it's just a sport

[@MashiroRedo]

Didn’t know he was only coached by his parents. That was probably his downfall. Not sure how good they are but different perspectives and styles are always helpful.

[@WestCoastAce27]

Did you see the mom? (Standing next to Bolleteri in the one shot). Obese. She couldn’t play a lick. Dad was a former athlete but don’t think tennis. It was stupid. They obviously wanted to keep the cash and not pay an outsider. Pennywise, pound foolish as the old saying goes.

[@btf_flotsam478]

I doubt that the prodigy just so happened to have his parents be top-level coaches, just by pure chance.

[@Entername-md1ev]

Yeah if Rafa can leave Toni that should mean any player should eventually find an external coach with better expertise

[@td866]

Exactly this. He should have left them.

[@victoreklofslott8093]

Bruh if you listen to a news cast offer your own opinion?

[@jeffhermida4788]

i remember john mcenroe said on tv, that young was invited to train with nadal for 3 weeks in spain, and young refused. this was early in young's career. not sure what was the reason but im sure it would have been a great learning experience. reminds me of when lendl invited a young sampras to train. sampras left the training with a better mindset and understanding of the game. shame D.young couldnt do the same.

[@coryCuc]

Funny that you bring this up. I remember that as well. I just don't think he had the total commitment to the game as his competitors.

[@vandrive5687]

Cory: Yep, Young would just seemingly mindlessly show-up to matches with his brilliant athleticism & let the cards fall as they may. Evidently he never developed his game strategically enough in order to adapt to players who did or who could simply outhit him.

[@634983]

That's like kyrgios and kokkinakis went to training with fed. Big eye opener

[@kaialoha]

Sampras Lendl yeah. I always noted that Pete´s outstanding Eastern FH bore a great resemblance to Lendl´s in an era of topspin Bolleterri FHs ( Agassi, Courier etc ) Thanks for confirming this mate

[@astonm.8173]

Just a confirmation of a dumb kid. Or completely controlled by his coaching parents, who failed to develop a mature game for Donald as he couldn't figure it out himself. Nadal was a prodigy too, but also started with Challengers to get used to the pace.

[@bifftannen66]

Watching this video actually made me think what a fighter he is. Dropping down to challengers multiple times, coming back stronger every time. He might not have fulfilled his potential, but he's a winner to me.

[@orthopraxis235]

Agreed, mostly anyone commenting here would LOVE to have the tennis skills and career (playing for money instead of some job) that he did. The criticisms show an incomplete understanding of how tennis players' careers compare with careers in other sports. IT's pretty myopic.

[@edwardchester1]

Nah, lots of people grind away on the tour for years without the hype this guy had.

[@jacambrianmadlock2078]

He went pro way to young. His parents were thinking about money

[@capricornmagic63]

I agree. Money. Just like Capriati's parents. Dollar signs. At Least she was able to win despite their interfering

[@JCole-fg3rr]

capricornmagic63 I don’t think it was money.

[@vanessacamilleri441]

Exactly

[@rayneoftera]

My thoughts exactly!

[@jamesklatt]

Should have gone to college.

[@renardjohnson5658]

Never developed any weapons and the parents should have stepped back.He gets bullied all over the court by the big hitters.

[@renardjohnson5658]

@Joe Publico You're right.I've watched him play a few times in Indian Wells.

[@mitchellsewell275]

@Joe Publico Staying in the family can sometimes exacerbate that tendency, no?

[@CSV1973]

he’s closer to 5-9... watch him vs Kei... they’re about the same height... he needs to play like Chang ...

[@johnnelson3665]

Chay Sayaovong or David Ferrer or Schartzman. Take everything early. Oh well. Not too many people can say they made it to the top 50 of the world. Credit his effort to get there.

[@IamnotJohnFord]

Agreed. Parents should have swallowed some pride and stepped down long, long ago. Young is his own worst enemy when things go bad for even a few minutes. His parents, as coaches, means he never learned to learn new things at some point. It rarely works out when your parents are too close to everything because a independent coach means that you aren't coddled or babied. We all know that during a match only one person can help you....you. So, the mental game is as important as the physical. Halep started winning once she got her mind right.

[@deusexmachina9776]

Imagine if in a few years from now this video will be about Coco Gauff? The media should let these kids develop

[@uxwd87]

two different situations entirely. Coco and her team actually participate in mentorship activities with more experienced players.

[@deusexmachina9776]

@@uxwd87 that is true, but at the end of the day it makes things tough for her. A lot of players who win their first GS do it as an underdog, now everyone will be playing their best against her because 'media hype'. She's already a target

[@weekendhacker]

@@deusexmachina9776 I agree with you. She rode a wave of media hype last year with a purple patch of form, but that is over now. She's a first round loser these days. She is still young and developing as a player but she will need a much bigger game than what she's got at the moment. Her serve is the biggest issue.

[@svmto]

The difference is coco is doing relatively well on the professional circuit

[@deusexmachina9776]

@@weekendhacker I believe her first round losses are due to a lack of a crowd. She is the favorite when she plays and that reaction distracts her opponent. She isn't strong without them, and her opponents are focused

[@sambattistone5342]

When my dad was on tour, he said that Donald Young was one of the nicest guys, but he had an ego and lacked social skills. My dad said that he should've gone to college instead.

[@CULTTENNIS]

Is your dad one of the Battistone brothers? Have you used the 2 handled racket?

[@sambattistone5342]

@@CULTTENNIS Haha it's awesome that you know that. Yes, my dad is Dann, and my uncle is Brian. I have been playing with the two-handled racket since I could walk and am training to hopefully someday play professionally.

[@PeachwiseSyndrome]

@@sambattistone5342 good luck!:)

[@darthgorthaur258]

Wait what... somebody explain...two handled racket ? Wtf is that all about...

[@ericbason4964]

I your dad didn’t have they result Donald did and your dad played double with your uncle I think? With a weird like racket? Donald didn’t need to go to college he needed the USTA to promote him like they did the white top players. Plus his mother was a problem also. Donald was spoiled and his mother and father let him act that way. I will never forgot the rudeness and total disrespect I said him treat Queen Nielly , Tim Nielly mother. And his father was with him and did not get in that ass. His parents were horrible tennis parents. He need to leave them and get another coach and be a man.

[@JakeLesser]

Investors hoped he would be the Tiger Woods of tennis but the results never came. Should have hired a proper coach.

[@RondelayAOK]

. . . a coach that didn't treat him like a princess! or God's Gift to Tennis!

[@chuckfriebe843]

Agreed

[@ceb7894]

Welll - he wasn’t “Tiger”. He was more of a “Kitten”.

[@jeir1430]

Attitude and coaching

[@MrFuchew]

my first thought

[@marcosdoyter7460]

A lot of players change coaches in order to develop new weapons. See for example Murray, Agassi, Sampras, Djokovic. He never tried a new coach.

[@CULTTENNIS]

yup!

[@curiousgeorge6921]

Insanity

[@2011blueman]

He never had an actual coach at all (his parents weren't coaches).

[@mrbobevans]

@@2011blueman Roger Smith was a part-time coach for a few years.

[@valar_dohaeris7387]

Marcos Doyter definitely agreed, Federer also took up Edberg to improve his backhand

[@maxwelldewinter]

He had potential and the USTA gave him more wild cards at the Open than any player in recent memory. It's a tough sport!

[@bradenchou7338]

I think it was the second point. Parent coaches can be good or bad. But Donald may have over-emphasised technical parts of his game because they worked at the junior level. But held him back at the pro level. Or you’re right and he just wasn’t any good to begin with.

[@stevemartini470]

@@bradenchou7338 any good? Are in the top 50 or sumin

[@MMM18092]

From what I’ve heard, Young signed a huge contract with Nike as a young teenager. The sudden wealth might have dampened his appetite for success a bit. He should definitely have tried a few coaches outside the family.

[@CSV1973]

he’s 5-9... and didn’t grow...

[@MMM18092]

@@CSV1973 There are 4-5 players in the current top 20 who are shorter than that.

[@larencelowd3980]

MMM18092 Your right. I used to go to the camp his parents ran for a few years, and you could tell he just wasn’t as hungry anymore

[@donnyvandebeek6998]

@@MMM18092 only diego is not taller than that in the current top 20 but yh

[@okyouknowwhatever]

Sport helicopter parents and early money can really do you in, yes. You have to have either crazy passion for the game or crazy work ethic.

[@casimirthegreat]

I remember I watched him play in 2012 at a tiny little ITF tournament in Southern California when I was a junior. Tiny stadium court, probably only 25 people watching, it was super cool to see him play so close.

[@clint1285]

I've watched him at a Dallas TX challenger event. It was so windy. Not many people there.

[@jeffvanderwerf3391]

I've followed Young's career (at least peripherally), and I think that some perspective is in order. He has won over $4.5M in prize money during his career (not to mention endorsements), and, as you noted in the video (great video, btw!), he has reached the QFs or better in a good number of high-level tournaments. Sure, he hasn't spent time in the top twenty, but he certainly hasn't been a "bust." As others here have commented, Young has had a career that many, *many* tennis players would gladly take. Not everyone is going to have a Nadal-like career, or even an Isner-like career. All that being said, he really needed to look elsewhere for coaching and worked to improve his serve. I think he needs more positive thinking inserted into his approach, as well (a different coach may have helped that).

[@vandrive5687]

Roger all that!

[@JCole-fg3rr]

He is a bust. He had so much more potential.

[@pymebones]

@@JCole-fg3rr thousands of tennis prospects have a "brilliant future" and don't even make it into top 100.

[@JCole-fg3rr]

Ultermost and they’re all flops

[@hirsch4155]

I agree. There have been lots of junior grand slam champions that haven’t done as well as Young. Even huge success in juniors isn’t always a good indication for pro success. I remember the Venezuelan Nicolás Pereira who won 3 junior slams and only got to 74 ranking despite all the talent. And plus I don’t know why one needs to pick on his parents as coach, there’s lots of players with parents as coaches and that’s a low blow to compare to Dokic and Tomic.

[@horacemia-moskley1757]

The US Open: "The most premier tennis event in the world"?... great tournament. But it's Wimbledon.

[@giovanni4443]

You meant French Open I presume?

[@weekendhacker]

Slams in order of best to worst: 1. Wimbledon 2. Australian Open 3. US Open 4. French Open

[@Rodolka]

@@weekendhacker by you? Ok.

[@johnsullivan2577]

Annette Roper speaking as an American I completely agree with this!

[@jamesklatt]

@@weekendhacker wimbledon, US, French then australian

[@redrenegades7025]

Nice quality vid man. it's always interesting to see the stories behind the players

[@CULTTENNIS]

Agreed! His career has been a rollercoaster, always fun to research the background. Thank you!

[@dcoldestjenkins5868]

It's sad to see so much talent held back. Parents, you have to understand that there is only so far you can take your child, especially if you've never even been pro. You have to be willing to allow him to take the next step. That next step means putting him in the hands of real professionals, someone who knows what they're doing. Best of luck to the future prodigies.

[@king0vdarkness]

Never tell a kid he'll be the next thing, it'll boost his ego, and he won't train with the fire of a rookie, examples include Donald young, kyrgios and gulbis

[@bournejason66]

Patrick Mcnore’s book has a chapter on him. In short, usta spent a lot of $ on Donald, supports him travel, food and other expenses. But his parents are super guarded and didn’t let other coaches from usta to train Donald.

[@orthopraxis235]

The USTA has money to burn. They put far more money into women's tennis than men's tennis.

[@paulwade3013]

“The US Open in New York City, the premier tennis event in the world” Pfft

[@vandrive5687]

Is one of them, but agree, is also overhyped.👊. Have been twice & have no desire to go again.

[@paulwade3013]

Just a very silly oversight from an otherwise very interesting and knowledgeable KZbinr. To declare that any other tennis event holds the same prestige or even more so than that of Wimbledon can only be the result of jingoism.

[@TomSmith-gw6fn]

Yeah, pretty dumb. I’m a native New Yorker at that, and even I can admit that Wimbledon and even probably Roland Garros are more prestigious tournaments. And apparently the players enjoy the Australian Open experience way more than the US Open, though I do think the US Open has a hair more caché among the worldwide tennis audience.

[@rishimanda2191]

@@TomSmith-gw6fn US Open on TV though does have the best camera angle. You can actually see the how fast the ball is. Even Cincinnati uses the same angle.

[@titofrost958]

Tom Smith French open is not more prestigious

[@RossBayCult]

Watching him play in person I felt that he was underpowered and undersized. Lacked power and height. If you don’t have height you have to be fast like Schwartzmann or Ferrer in his day. It’s a tough game, if your heart isn’t in it and you’re not going to put in the hard work it won’t come.

[@loganmoyer1548]

As of today 9/21/2020 He has dropped to 312 in the ATP rankings. Still better than any ranking I could achieve.

[@italianguy4195]

Actually as of January 13 2020 he's ranked 255. That's crap man.

[@italianguy4195]

Men's Americans suck in tennis lol. Go Nadal, go Federer, go Djokavich, go Medvedev

[@loganmoyer1548]

@@italianguy4195 Djokovic* idk what you're going for here...honestly wtf are you talking about? What's your ATP rank man?

[@vandrive5687]

Submit he was/is more gifted than U....& me!👊 (...& worked alot harder than me).

[@lachlananimecat699]

I'm so glad American tennis has fallen on the Mens side. Djokovic must be laughing.

[@frontrowtennis]

I don’t know why they keep saying “his talent is undeniable”, every player in the top 500 can strike the ball and move, what separates #500 from #100 is what is in their head. To get above that you need extra special weapons (ex. big serve and forehand) but most importantly, an amazing mental game.

[@WestCoastAce27]

Well said. I hang out at the ATP practice courts; many times if you tune out the fans yelling they’re even. And watched many Top 10 guys get smoked in practice sets. Like you said, it’s more mental and who can do it when it matters on the big courts.

[@josephthomas5756]

“His problem is his coaching staff” *intert image of Nick Bollettieri* hmmmmm

[@CULTTENNIS]

haha

[@CSV1973]

no he’s short... under 6 ft.. watch him next to Kei who’s 5-9... they are the same height... at best he can only be as good as. Kei.. no one who’s short can play tennis unless they do away with graphite

[@fartinmartinx1]

@@CSV1973 diego scharzman is 5''7

[@pipebonghitz7]

@@CSV1973 Also, Rios reached number 1 at 5'8, and Muster at 5'9

[@634983]

Hewitt. Pretty sure nalbandian was 6ft tops

[@tstonyaland]

I believe that, in addition to some of the suggestions you brought up about his possible failure to make it big (i.e. parents coaching), as you alluded to in the beginning, the U.S. was desperately looking for their next superstar male player. They heaped all of this praise and fanfare on him at a young age, even touted him to be the modern day McEnroe (probably more so by McEnroe himself). We all know that young prodigies don't always go on to excel in their respective disciplines, so media and the like need to stop putting the cart before the horse. He probably got such a big head as a youngster and unfortunately got a rude awakening once he hit the pro tour and just couldn't live up to the hype. The psychological effect of that probably had a lasting impact on his career...

[@orthopraxis235]

Very few tennis players in any generation "make it big." The nature of the idea is what is ridiculous, and kind of offensive to those that understand tennis.

[@berton8]

He was a great jr but as a pro he lacks power, patience, dynamic shot making, height, and most importantly....heart.

[@karteektavarageri5140]

No, he definitely has heart.

[@karteektavarageri5140]

@Oliver McCall Well said.

[@mrbobevans]

Great forehand, weak serve and mediocre backhand.

[@CSV1973]

he’s about 5-9...

[@oleksandrfedoriv]

coffeeinthemorning young is over 6 feet while ferrer stands at just 5’9” what are you talking about

[@jason4275]

_The fact that he wasn't plague with injuries, many players would love to have that kind of luck, only to see him not invest in himself and throw it all away because he couldn't hire a better coach or proper team to help him improve._

[@kevinle5460]

Keep it up. Your work fills the void for KZbin tennis content

[@tirthankarsarkar4206]

Why didn't I discover this channel before? It's top quality content. From spectator's point of view, we like to see only the top players compete & win titles. Almost no one cares about Challenger level tournaments, even though there are many talented players who can make it to the top if they are properly honed. I guess the longer one spends at Challenger level, the harder it is for them to get out of it. Great video man. Liked & subbed your channel. P.S. 17:24 'Son of a biscuit man' 😂

[@CULTTENNIS]

Biscuit man, Biscuit!! And haha thank you, appreciate the kind words!

[@vandrive5687]

As an attending spectator will take a Challenger tourney over say the US Open anytime! The former provides brilliant athleticism & entertainment in an intimate, cheerful setting; the latter a congested, inhospitable, & unforgivingly expensive experience organized and run by arrogant people.

[@vbrvideoproductions4643]

7:48 I think Wimbledon might have something to say about that!

[@diegot143]

7:47 isn’t Wimbledon’s they most premier tennis event

[@Rodolka]

By Fedtards, sure

[@James-bs3bm]

That’s crazy he watched this and liked it!!

[@saminhaque13-52]

Ikr. I wonder if he got a bit emotional while watching, and weather he is reading this comment.

[@TheTrueReiniat]

When you lose so much people stop making fun of you and forget you.

[@tjg801]

I always wondered what makes parents think they can be professional tennis coaches. It rarely works out.

[@wildlive1296]

I agree. Unless they were a tennis pro and/or have significant previous coaching experience, they're unlikely to get the best out of their child.

[@imateapot51]

When you google Junior Grand Slam winners for all 4 events you do see some of the greats and solid pros. But you also see a lot of names you never heard off.

[@IAMMOVIN4WARD]

Great job putting this video together.👊🏾🎾

[@CULTTENNIS]

Thanks for that! Keep an eye out for more!

[@camerontuck5379]

Yeah I know he fell but I respect him for going to those smaller tourneys after reaching highs so early on. You can tell he really has a passion for the game

[@robertwebb3546]

Where else was he going to go?

[@jimmyj100]

‘US Open, premier tennis event in the world’? No noob... 7:48

[@booyah2u296]

Wimbledon is the premier GS of tennis. The oldest and most prestigious tournament to compete in. 👑

[@essenceau]

I read/heard about Danald Young long ago but even back then I never saw anything special in his game. So I'm not surprised about the result

[@curiousgeorge6921]

He was n1 junior at 15

[@essenceau]

@@curiousgeorge6921 Yeah I read he was the top dog in the junior tennis but when I look at his overall game, nothing really stands out, no big forehand like Federer, or Backhand like Djokovic, fighting spirits like Nadal, or fast like De Minaur, volley like Sampras ... everything is just average, that's my view anyway.

[@curiousgeorge6921]

@@essenceau great touch... forehand is really fantastic actually

[@essenceau]

@@curiousgeorge6921 I have only seen a few highlights of his matches. Like Nadal, his forehand is effective when the ball is SLOW & SITTING UP for a big hit (has times to wind up) BUT the forehand is vulnerable to fast/flat shot. And often he either makes a mistake or hit way short. Watch some random highlights and see if you spot it. If anything, his backhand is actually more solid than the forehand, less error there.

[@curiousgeorge6921]

@@essenceau yeah tennis is a mental game really...but young is an asshole as a person, ignorant rap culture guy... that's his real problem...

[@eincan1313]

In baseball there are many players considered 4A players, meaning they have success at the AAA level but can’t have continued success at the major league level due to a number of factors. I think Donald is that guy. Has done well in flashes, but doesn’t have enough weapons or mental strength for continued success on tour. There are a lot of journeyman players who have had decent careers. Too much early pressure and bad coaching probably didn’t help either.

[@datboijj]

Great video and quality writing!

[@pleaseenteraname1103]

He’s now in 2023 ranked 646 in the world.

[@change_profile_n8755]

the quality of these docs is insane!

[@dandan3045]

@7:50 the premier tennis events are Wimbledon and Roland Garros without question. Even the ATP finals is more premier than the US open.

[@JCole-fg3rr]

Not every parent can be a Richard Williams and Oracene Price. People don’t seem to understand that.

[@JK-vc7ie]

Richard raised a pig

[@JCole-fg3rr]

J K stfu

[@ig6894]

Richard Williams hurt her daughters greatness by sticking around too long, as bad as Richard was, Oracene was a complete joke as a coach.

[@JK-vc7ie]

Serena is a horrible persona and so is her mother. Go look up Richard Williams. He has countless children. Many of them illegitimate. Don’t take my word for it.

[@JCole-fg3rr]

Ig umm no he didn’t. He turned them into major champions who are all time greats. He stuck around for as long as he needed to.

[@kenkozawa9810]

Eh, Donald has a nice game but nothing really special to set his game apart at the top of the game. I think for his play style without any huge weapons or physique, top 50 and consistently around top 100 in the world are both extraordinary achievements. Unfortunately beating players like Wawrinka and Murray doesn't mean much, the two of them especially Stan, have lost to a bunch of random players. Top 20 players have a specific bread and butter shot or ability like Roger's forehand or Rafa's stamina..

[@solomonokoli212]

I actually forgot about this dude. Watched his US open R16 appearance in 2015, but he just sort of disappeared after that. Thought he retired, lol

[@thisismycat2421]

Me who has never watched tennis nor played it and most likely never will: mmmmmm interesting

[@jackwilliams5223]

same

[@Dman9fp]

If you don't have to play tennis, don't. Glad I did in my formative years, especially in high school hell, had next to nothing else to let off excess steam (would've worked extra in retail hell job if didn't have tennis). But exploring, having hobbies that aren't tied to something with extreme coordination/ loads of practice and fitness... Just saying, exploring and trying new things is better than slugging out a tennis ball in a box, much as it can help build confidence/ ego sometimes if get good enough. But overall I still hate it, too easy to get strains and injuries too at least in singles. But good workout in moderation I suppose

[@broncoguy4862]

@@Dman9fp If you think it's too easy to get injured at the amateur level, you're either using really poor technique or you're not fit.

[@Dman9fp]

@@broncoguy4862 Yep you've probably got that right, as with people who apparently intent on getting hurt during injury suceptible moves like low squats, deadlifts, good mornings, heavy upright rows, etc. Just saying in general I don't miss the days where I didn't have a bunch of time to drive around and explore new hobbies/ adventures versus a hobby that can break down your body and for what? To each their own, some people are lucky enough to have partners who don't take it too seriously, and at least in my area at my level anybody who still plays usually takes it too seriously

[@possesedcake5422]

@@Dman9fp unfortunately lifting weights and doing exercises isn’t going to help to much you need the form and the correct timing which is one of the reasons why I love the sport so if you the correct form then you won’t get injured you where probably getting injured from serving wrong and leaning back after a shot to much

[@theslicetennis]

These videos are epic mate! Keep making them :)

[@CULTTENNIS]

Wow thank you, I'm a fan myself :)

[@theslicetennis]

CULT TENNIS cheers mate, maybe we can do something together in the future :)

[@kaluda1214]

We demand more videos in the future !

[@CULTTENNIS]

More videos coming! Appreciate the support!

[@Robust2013]

What a fascinating documentary film. Thanks

[@thlee3]

i never really saw promise in Donald Young ... just always had a collegiate game. being that size, you need fire and tenacity like a hewitt ....

[@adamfrary6227]

Love the content! But as a Coachella Valley native I had to laugh at “Indian Wells in Palm Springs”. Indian Wells is in Indian Wells.

[@ketan6182]

And key Biscayne? Idk much, I've heard that name associated with the tournament often.

[@CULTTENNIS]

haha you're very right, I was there last spring, I should know better!

[@blackspiderman1887]

If he had a better coach he would've gotten further.

[@shadoninja]

It sounds like he just needed.... an actual coach

[@CULTTENNIS]

@@shadoninja lol

[@jwill6312]

@@shadoninja Everybody can't get Richard Williams results. The parents should've recognized their limitations and got him a proper team.

[@mrbobevans]

Connors said he got rid of his mother as his coach who taught him women's tennis. and got with Pancho Segura who taught him men's tennis.

[@jymcotton9904]

Not necessarily. Look at Abe Lincoln. Ultimately it's up to the player. IMO.

[@Dzmcgee]

Do Genie Bouchard

[@CULTTENNIS]

hmm good idea!

[@amsd1231]

The curse of a pretty face. Tale as old as time.

[@sasukeuchihasbuttplug1041]

@@CULTTENNIS omg please do!

[@greenlampshade8909]

I'd hold off on that one for a few years. Her results this year after the restart lead me to think she's overcome her injury/PTSD. The fight's still in her.

[@roter13]

@@CULTTENNIS please do Hyeon Chung!!!

[@Ed-xb2sz]

your series are great!

[@krisherdown]

He's also kind of on the small side with an ineffective lefty serve. While he has good court instincts when on (which helped when the opponent is self-destruct mode, as happened in the two biggest victories vs Wawrinka and Murray), a loss in confidence really messes with a player having this style.

[@yourbedroompunk7601]

this is great content!

[@CULTTENNIS]

Thanks for watching!!

[@sam_s_]

Gotta love that 90s style editing.

[@tywilkins2584]

Being an Atlanta, Georgia born native I was always rooting for this guy. But like most Atlanta teams (Thrashers, Falcons, Braves) we always seem to muck it up when it really matters. I don’t know what curse is on this city, but it needs to end!!!

[@tywilkins2584]

Dan Smulders I assume this is a reference to the super bowl game against the pats. Yes we blew it big time, and I hope we lose every game this year until Gwinn is fired. Blowing 2 double digit leads back to back weeks is unacceptable...

[@tennisparisbrothers8001]

Great video👍🎾

[@CULTTENNIS]

Thanks for watching!!

[@michaelt8682]

great content well done. cant get over you saying 'zero' instead of 'love'

[@jononeher9588]

Social media fueling enormous pressure on a kid that wasn't quite ready yet. Mental toughness is everything at the top of tennis. Agassi can probably relate quite a bit although he was obviously much more successful. Feel bad for young kids that have so many expectations. The competition is stronger now than ever before. All the former greats will admit this.

[@THE_STRANGLER]

I just watched ONE tennis video about blue clay and now it's all over my recommended.

[@ricclee8559]

Never fall in love with promise and potential, fall in love with the results. And Junior success doesnt guranteed success in senior tour either! Thats the difference between Young and Williams sisters

[@CULTTENNIS]

good point!

[@pantherablaxxx9930]

Exactly! Just because you were the best in the junior level doesn't mean the same thing will happen in the senior level. To be continued...

[@mitchellsewell275]

Plus, didn't the girls forego junior tennis?

[@vandrive5687]

Young had the “results” as a junior. The difference b/t he and the Williams sisters (or any other top player in the women’s game) is their ability to consistently hit overpowering deep in the court groundstrokes and serves against their opponents.

[@mrbobevans]

Men's game is a completely different animal than the women's game.

[@JohnSmith-qp4bt]

Wimbledon is the most premier tennis event in the world. Not the US open

[@pglanville]

That's your opinion

[@patdaly9015]

@@pglanville that's a fact mate

[@banane9861]

@david roidtiz he's totally right

[@Shiljamannn]

@@pglanville It's litteraly the tennis' birthplace...

[@zakf6104]

Radda radda radda

[@Dan1elAndrade]

Good editing, btw, subbed.

[@cuttlefisch]

You should make a film like this about the English former tennis prodigy Laura Robson After she won the Wimbledon girl's tournament she was hyped up to be the next English Ladies Grand Slam champion, but sadly it never happened for her due to constant injuries. Not even sure if she's still playing the game. Very sad story.

[@danield.7359]

As Ivan Lendl Once said: "winning is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration" For a Tennis pro, Young looked a bit chubby across many years of his tenure, hinting, that there wasn't enough perspiration in his preparation...

[@aphillyate1]

Basically saying what I said all those years ago... but I never knew anyone cared to produce the crushing truth. Damn.

[@fabiangollembiewski7786]

Very good video for your amount of subs! Good quality

[@Grokstar35]

great content !!!

[@chemcjm8]

When I watched him play, i never saw that "umff" factor on him. just my opinion.

[@KainSwiss]

Now ranked 312 lol. He needed a new coach. Inconsistency hampered his progress. he needed to also build himself up like Agassi. Getting bashed off the court by higher ranked players is demoralizing, this is were he would have needed a better coach to help his game.

[@mrbobevans]

Donald actually did build himself up, like Harrison. But their bigger physiques did not improve their match results.

[@jymcotton9904]

why are you lol? Are you watching videos of yourself playing? The guy still had a pretty good career. Show some respect.

[@harveydodd8803]

It’s amazing that countries like Serbia and Czech Republic can consistently create top 5 players and America which is far richer and far more populated hasn’t produced one since the early 2000s.

[@wildtofurkey1013]

He just got crushed 0-6 0-6 in Winston Salem qualifiers too today

[@lukeism2]

He’s beaten amazing players. It’s so hard betting on tennis.

[@SuedeNWings]

He's just a very good counterpuncher. He never learned anything else. Super consistency is great against developing players or weaker players because they'll end up handing you points but the better players don't do that.

[@martinsmith8670]

Christopher Eubanks is having some great results at Wimbledon this year. I saw that he was described as starting off as Donald's hitting partner, and also managed to fit in some tennis TV commentary work

[@HasBeensNAddicts]

I love this channel so much

[@CULTTENNIS]

Thanks for watching and being here :)

[@HenryZhoupokemon]

I still remember Young’s meteoric 2011 rise. Quite honestly I forgot he still existed

[@gideoncheung8731]

tbh ranking around the 30s and 50s ain't as bad as it sounds, like, at all. Might not have gotten to the highest level but still pretty good I would say, so it's not as though the world expected him to become a great as much as some other people.

[@two4eight62]

Your videos are fantastic

[@AlexIsUber]

I would say he still had a good ATP career. I didn’t realize he’s been around so long. I thought he quit years ago. Hype back when he started was just overwhelming

[@bkatbamna]

I always thought that his serve wasn't big enough to win him free points and that his forehand wasn't a weapon either.

[@useyourheadpliz]

I'd be interested in a similar video about Monfils. Gael has had much more success than Donald, but never really captured the level and momentum that many hoped he would get, seeing how absolutely dominant he was as a junior and how well he started in 2005.

[@jeffvanderwerf3391]

Monfils reached #6 and achieved $21M in winnings. Apart from not winning a major, and a lot of *really* good players never won majors -- particularly in this era, what would they talk about? Plus has been one of the most-liked and popular players on tour. He's not a cautionary tale or a "what could have been?" tale at all, really.

[@useyourheadpliz]

@@jeffvanderwerf3391 Monfils has 22 losses in finals for 11 wins. He never won a MS 1000. I love the guy, but Something could have been different.

[@alexlackner1945]

He married Elina Svitolina, so he's a winner on my book.

[@Agent77X]

He should went the hard knocks route into pro tennis career! Futures ->Challengers->ATP instead of WC entries! He is now ranked in the mid 300s!

[@smookytubes]

Its unfortunate how he wasn't able to deal with the pressure and media. Despite all the hate, I'm still rooting for him tho. He's a great player who deserves more.

[@DanimalLawlz]

That shot of Roddick holding the runner-up plate at 1:40. :( Never been so happy for the winner and so sad for the loser as Wimbledon 2009

[@th8257]

Sadly, I think so much of the Donald Young hype was America's desperation for the next champion. To the outside world, he never looked like anything particularly special. It seems like the pressure and expectation has only hurt him even more.

[@nishantthaccker1173]

America's obsession with a certain 'minority'!....

[@steve-hm1wn]

@@nishantthaccker1173 obsession or hate

[@colestop10s79]

They included a pic of Austin tennis academy at 1:50 which is where I practice. Weird

[@Creees]

Great ideo i loved watching it

[@Osiris3657]

Never developed offensive firepower, which is so important in today's game. Spins too many balls back instead of letting it rip when he has the opportunity to hit a winner or force an error. He also never developed consistency on his groundstrokes to be an elite defensive player.

[@WestCoastAce27]

Yep. He’s tried more different rackets to get more power. Didn’t work.

[@raidsdamaltaportugal3925]

Very good content. Subscribed. About D Young this is a classic case of not committing a 100% to a pro career. If he had hired a profession coach instead of his parents, im sure he would have gone way further in is career. He should have committed to professional tennis and his mother and father should have realized there were limiting D Young aspirations and not me stubborn about it . It´s a real shame.

[@chuckfriebe843]

His parents wanted to sponge off of his predicted wealth. Same old song and dance.

[@pymebones]

Decent career. Lots of tennis prodigies don't live up to the expectations set upon them. On a side note, Gaudio once famously said: "el día que pierda con Berlocq en tenis, no juego más" (the day that I happen to lose to Berlocq, is the day I'll quit tennis).

[@CrispyBacon1]

Andrew, your videos have improved so much! Just listening to this video, your voiceovers back then sounded as miserable as Andy Murray. Hope that new vid comes out too ❤