Sam Querrey had a superb but quiet ATP World Tour career. He let his play do all his talking to the tune of ten titles from 2006-2022 including the most memorable shock upset of Novak Djokovic at 2017 Wimbledon.
Now Querrey has quickly become a top TV tennis analyst for Tennis Channel, TNT Sports and his popular Nothing Major podcast with pals John Isner, Jack Sock and Steve Johnson. Though generally stoic as a player, Querrey is glib, funny, witty, bold and self-deprecating as an analyst.
Today’s telecast showcased Querrey at his best.
After Aryna Sabalenka and the TNT crew watched Naomi Osaka’s latest publicity stunt, ahem, walk onto the court wearing a full black ballroom gown, the WTA World No. 1 was asked if she would wear that costume on court. Then Querrey offered Sabalenka an idea: “You should walk out on court with a real tiger while Eye of the Tiger (Rocky soundtrack music ) plays…”
Then Querrey very bluntly implied Daniil Medvedev took a dive in his first round loss to Australian Adam Walton. Serving at 4-5 in the fifth, Medvedev lost four points in a row – and the match to Walton. Querrey did not hold back: “After he failed to get the break, Medvedev just tanked four points in a row to lose the match…”
To say the 7 seed tanked the last game is very controversial stuff.
Querrey and Jimmy Arias have repeatedly implied tanking when they see a strange suspect effort. Arias even reveals he tracks down players after a weird effort and asks questions. Nobody else in the broadcast booth has the guts of Querrey and Arias. John McEnroe seems more excited by the New York Knicks reaching the NBA Finals after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers than he is about the tennis.
Keep an ear on Sam Querrey, he has become a most interesting voice in professional tennis today – now that Nick Kyrgios is practically an irrelevant sideshow.
Roland Garros · Sam Querrey
<< The Art of Reading the Game: Why Tennis IQ Separates Champions from Contenders