Are No. 1 Juniors Sure Things?

Thanks to tangerine, who posted a link to the Triple A Tennis post yesterday about this Tennis Week article by Dan Markowitz that explores the careers of juniors who were once No. 1s (at year end.)

He seems to think the success rate is poor, but I've given this a lot of thought, and I'm more inclined to agree with the anonymous poster who listed the last ten boys who finished number one. It's an impressive list. It may not be a guarantee, but it's the way to bet.

That said, it's still a useful article, especially when Markowitz speaks to those who have been only moderately successful. It gives a glimpse of some of the pitfalls they encountered and the regrets they have. Current top-level juniors and their parents should read those sections carefully.