Requiem for a Contender

Men's pro tennis is brutally competitive: the entire tour is made up of supremely fit, supremely skilled athletes. Competitive advantages are razor thin, nearly indistinguishable. Unless you're Roger Federer, it's almost always confidence that determines who wins and loses, the confidence to propel one through the big points that dictates winning and losing. And in men's tennis, confidence usually comes from that one big victory against a name opponent, the so-called "breakthrough" match. And if you don't get that breakthrough early in your career, you go from being a 'future star' to an 'also-ran'. And that transition can be lightning quick. Ask Robert Kendrick.
Flash back to Wimbledon 2006. Kendrick was the new gunslinger on the tour, and one of those big American serving studs who had sailed through three qualifying rounds in London. He blitzed his first opponent in the main draw, and found himself taking a serious liking to grass. He marched out to Centre Court to take on the French champion. a guy named Nadal that hadn't proven a thing on grass, yet. On national television in the States and the U.K., Kendrick punished Nadal, short circuiting rallies with classic serve and volley tennis, jumping to a two set lead, and holding comfortably in the third. Announcers were already projecting his third round opponent; for a millisecond, the tennis world was his proverbial oyster. And then reality kicked in, and Rafa became Rafa, and in painstaking fashion, Kendrick was bled to death for three agonizing sets, Close enough to taste victory, but secretly learning the fear and loathing of defeat on the biggest stage. It was awful tasting, a taste he never quite got out of his mouth.
A month later he was rocking on the grass in Newport, rolling into the quarters to face a teenager named Andy Murray. The Scot knew a bit about grass, and demolished Kendrick, whose lost confidence cost him a nationally televised trip to the semis at the Hall of Fame Championships.
Fast Forward to Flushing 2010. Kendrick's raw skill earned him 3 victories in the Flushing Qualies. His skills match up quite favorably with summer sensation Mardy Fish. Fish has the edge on the volley, Kendrick is the superior ground stroker. But he is now a low-ranked journeyman, and the confidence from his run through the qualies was superficial. In another display of painstaking tennis failure, Kendrick threw away several chances to knock off a notable seed in his five set killing loss to Gael Monfils of France. There was no solace of having played a 5-set war in which he was nearly equal to the victor. Kendrick continued to curse himself as he sat down after the losing handshake. He is now a middle aged pro, no longer being considered for Wild Card entries into the big tourneys that are reserved for the up and comers. He is still searching for that breakthrough, a breakthrough that will probably die the death of failed confidence.