The Querrey Query

A question was posed to 19-year-old Sam Querrey today at the RCA Championships in Indianapolis: are you ready for the big time?

His answer came in the form of 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(6) victory over fifth-seeded Ivo Karlovic in the second round, saving two match points during the two-hour, twenty minute match.

It's been an up-and-down year for Querrey, the next big hope for American tennis. After starting the year 12-7 and launching himself to a career-high ranking of #66 in April, Querrey had been 1-8 since, entering Indianapolis with a 13-15 year-to-date mark and a #91 rank.

So after a first-round triumph over Frenchman Julien Benneteau in the first round, Querrey used his solid serve to defeat Karlovic, a fellow big-server in a match of the tournament's two tallest players.

Up next for Querrey is James Blake, a match-up that Blake has won both times at 6-3 in the third.

Whether or not Querrey will have the answer to the Blake quiz is a matter on its own, though Blake has had his troubles this year, as well. But for now, Sam Querrey seems to have studied well enough recently to get passing grades in the school of big-time tennis.

Now it's time to work for some extra credit.