Examine the Emirates ATP Rankings in search of Americans, and you will find some very encouraging signs. Seven American men reside among the top 100: John Isner at No. 19, Jack Sock at No. 23, Sam Querrey at No. 31, Stevie Johnson at No. 33, Taylor Fritz at No. 76, Donald Young at No. 88 and Ryan Harrison at No. 90.
But just as impressively, eleven more are stationed in the top 200, and the last of those competitors is none other than Michael Mmoh, an 18-year-old with high aspirations, realistic goals and a deep determination to succeed on the highest level.
Mmoh has made immense strides as of late. On September 12, 2016, he was ranked No. 379 in the world, but now this teenager has climbed significantly up to No. 198. In the middle of summer, he secured the prestigious National 18 Championships in the renowned junior locale of Kalamazoo, Michigan, earning a wildcard into the U.S. Open. Thereafter, he came on strong. At the end of the season, largely on the strength of a Challenger tournament triumph in Knoxville, Tennessee, Mmoh garnered another much coveted wildcard, this one taking him into the upcoming Australian Open. Many authorities on American tennis are bullish on Mmoh, believing he is a very bright prospect and a player with a good chance to break into the world’s top twenty in a couple of years.
For the time being, however, he is delighted to be hitting his short term targets, knowing that he must take it step by step at this stage of his career. We spoke by telephone a few days before Thanksgiving, and Mmoh came across as thoughtful, mature and even introspective. We started by talking about Kalamazoo, which served as a springboard for the rest of his 2016 campaign. As he recalls, “There were a lot of expectations coming into it. I had not been playing the best of tennis. I was still recovering from a three month injury to my right elbow so my confidence wasn’t high. Even though you are not playing Challenger level [opponents] at Kalamazoo, getting eight wins in a row does huge things for your confidence. It was a big bonus for me.”
How did he feel about being the clearcut favorite, and realizing simultaneously that winning the tournament would guarantee him the wildcard into the U.S. Open? He responds, “I was the sole favorite in Kalamazoo and there were a lot of eyes on me. I think I did a good job coping with it and I was just kind of locked in and focussed on the opportunity I had. There were some tough matches in that tournament. Even in the first round I played a random guy from California who barely got into the tournament and I won like 6-4, 6-4. Definitely the U.S. Open and the wildcard was the main reason I played Kalamazoo. I actually had that in the front of my head. That was the goal and it motivated me. I used it as a challenge. I was playing against guys who I was supposed to beat and I used that as a challenge rather than a threat.”
