Transformers: Spain becomes a Tennis Powerhouse

The emergence and dominance of the Spanish men in world tennis recently has been nothing short of breathtaking and exhilarating. Sure they have had No. 1's before; Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Moya come to mind, but up until now the best from Spain came singly. However, not only do the Spanish boast the World No. 1 in Rafael Nadal, no fewer than six Spaniards are in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open. Previously they had only two champions in the United States, Manuel Orantes in 1975 and Manuel Santana in 1965. How things have changed!

My memory watching Spanish tennis players over the years confined to clay-court supremos happily sliding (and winning) at Roland Garros, white shoes covered in red mud. Besides the number of good Spanish players, the greatest change is that Spaniards now win on all surfaces. No better example of this is Nadal who, if he wins at the U.S. Open, will have all four majors under his belt. However the Open pans out, Spain has not only established itself as the great world power in tennis, but the quality and style of their play is just fantastic to watch.