US Open Tennis 2011: John Isner and 10 Americans to Cheer for in Flushing

The phrase "American tennis" has become a bit of a joke on the men's side in recent years. The women's side isn't too much better with only Venus and Serena Williams taking home titles on a consistent basis. 

But that said, there are still quite a few Americans worth cheering for at the 2011 US Open at Flushing Meadows. 

Read on for the 10 that you should definitely be rooting on. 

Alex Bogomolov Jr.

Even though Alex Bogomolov Jr. was born in Russia, he has American citizenship and is thus considered a tennis player from the country hosting the US Open. 

With a straight-set victory over world No. 4 Andy Murray in the MIami Masters 1000, it's clear that Bogomolov has the game necessary to make a little bit of noise in Flushing Meadows. Ranked No. 45 in the world, which happens to be the highest he's ever risen in the world rankings, the 28-year-old needs to forget about his history at the US Open. 

Why? Well he has actually never made it out of the first round. But that will change this year with a first-round match against fellow American Steve Johnson, the No. 525 player in the world. After that he'll run into Robin Soderling and most likely be knocked out. 

Mardy Fish

By far the best American man in the world right now, Mardy Fish comes into the US Open ranked No. 8 and with a legitimate chance to take home the title at the end of the week. 

Fish is red-hot right now, coming off four straight strong ATP events. In Atlanta, he took home the title by defeating hometown favorite John Isner. Then at the Farmers Classic he advanced all the way to the finals before losing to the up-and-coming Ernests Gulbis. After that, he lost to Novak Djokovic in the Rogers Cup finals and Andy Murray in the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open. 

With a great first serve and a counterpunching style of play, Fish has made it to the quarterfinals just once at the US Open. He'll look to add to that total while advancing even further in 2011. 

John Isner

Here are some reasons to like John Isner:

1. He seems like a very quality human being. 

2. His epic match against Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon. 

3. He went to the University of Georgia and I have to give a shoutout to my Bulldogs. 

4. His powerful serve gives him the ability to win any match he enters. 

Bethanie Mattek-Sands

You should want Bethanie Mattek-Sands to win as many matches as possible just so we can keep seeing her roll out one ridiculous outfit after another. After all, she's far more famous for her over-the-top fashion sense than she is for her tennis game at this point in her career. 

Ranked No. 31 in the world, the 26-year-old will take on Polona Hercoq in the first round and then most likely Nadia Petrova in the second. 

Mattek-Sands has advanced to the second round of the US Open in each of her last four appearances but she has yet to make it any further. That trend will likely continue in 2011. 

Christina McHale

Last week I called Christina McHale one of the top 10 sleepers in the women's field, saying the following: 

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Christina McHale has never made it past the second round at the US Open, but that's going to change this year for the 19-year-old New Jersey native. 

McHale is having a season to remember as she climbs up the women's world rankings, in which she currently rests at No. 66. She won the first singles title of her career in Italy back in June, but has had some success stateside as well. 

Notable players that McHale has toppled this season include Svetlana Kuznetsova, Daniela Hantuchova and none other than current world No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki. The win over Wozniacki came in Cincinnati at the Western & Southern Open and should be fresh in her mind when she makes her way to Flushing Meadows. 

 

"

Andy Roddick

Andy Roddick has been one of the American men to root for over the last few years simply because he's been the top player from the country. 

Well, now that Roddick has fallen to No. 21 in the world rankings and Mardy Fish has ascended to No. 8, we need to find a new reason to root for the 2003 US Open champion.

Personally, I wish that Roddick would live up to the lofty expectations so I could feel better about him being married to Brooklyn Decker. She deserves a champion and not a guy that's going to be knocked out in the first few rounds.  

Jack Sock

Currently ranked No. 592 in the world, Jack Sock clearly isn't going to win the US Open this year. But that doesn't mean that we can't root for him while he's still alive at the tournament. 

If you've heard of Sock before, it was probably either because of his victory at the United States Junior Championships earlier this year, a win that earned him a wild card slot at Flushing Meadows, or because of his victory at the 2010 Junior US Open. 

Sock is a likable 18-year-old who looks to have a bright future ahead of him. He has a first-round match against Marc Gicquel and would face either Michael Russell or Andy Roddick in the ensuing match if he wins the first one. 

Serena Williams

Do you really need a reason to cheer for Serena Williams at Flushing Meadows?

After all, even though she's ranked just 29th in the world, Serena undoubtedly has to be considered a favorite at the 2011 US Open. A win at the tournament would help her on her quest toward becoming the greatest woman to ever pick up a tennis racket. 

Additionally, it would make for a remarkable story as she continues her magical summer after her well-publicized and lingering injury from last year. 

Venus Williams

Whether you like what she's done in the past or you simply like the outlandish, controversial outfits she puts on, you have to root for Venus Williams. 

The former world No. 1 is currently ranked just 36th in the world, but you can never count out this two-time US Open champion. After all, she's one of the Williams sisters. 

Venus has a first-round matchup against Vesna Dolonts. After disposing of the Russian, she will play either Alona Bondarenko or Sabine Lisicki. While the American won't win this tournament, at least I really don't think so, she could advance through the first few rounds. 

Donald Young

The 22-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia, is ranked No. 85 in the world, but he has the all-around game and soft hands necessary to play above his ranking. Additionally, Donald Young has had more success at the US Open than any other Grand Slam event in the past. 

Young made the third round at Flushing Meadows in 2007, but hasn't made it back since. He could change that this season. 

After all, Young has won the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger and defeated Andy Murray this season. Stranger things have happened. 

Young will face Lukas Lacko in the first round and then likely go against a very vulnerable No. 14 seed in the form of Stanislas Wawrinka. 

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Adam Fromal is a syndicated writer and featured columnist at Bleacher Report. Follow him on  Twitter.