Kellen Damico: Junior Spotlight of the Week (usta.com)

Kellen Damico: Junior Spotlight of the Week--usta.com--


Kellen Damico began working with coach John Roddick, Andy's older brother, last August. Just three months later, he won the Eddie Herr 16s, made the finals of the Orange Bowl 16s, and, wisely, began playing up in the 18s in 2005. That transition can be difficult, but Damico didn't miss a beat, making the quarterfinals at the ITF Grade A Casablanca Cup and then winning, last week, in a third set tiebreaker, the Grade 1 ITF in Malaysia. He is now 35th in the world, and excepting Donald Young who is four months his junior, Damico is the youngest Top 50 player in the ITF rankings.

Is John Roddick responsible for this meteoric rise? No, Kellen Damico is. Coaching can only be as successful as the player is receptive. But having a coach who devotes the bulk of his or her time and thought to improving a player's game, and gives him/her guidance and support, is a great advantage for a developing junior. Damico is grabbing it with both hands. One quibble with this story--I don't know where the USTA got its information that Damico is a serve-and-volleyer, because he isn't. Although he's a very fine doubles player who can volley, that is not how he wins most of his points, at least not in the two tournaments I saw him play late last year.

I've heard Damico called the mini-Roddick or Andy jr., as he shares some of John's youngest sibling's mannerisms, shots and attitude, as well as a taste for Reebok clothing. And even if he is consciously emulating Andy, well, he could have worse models than the recently named Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year. But let's do him a favor and let him be Kellen Damico. After all, isn't that new Reebok slogan "I AM WHAT I AM"?