Donald Young gives advice to rising American youngsters

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Donald Young knows what it's like to be pegged as America's next great male champion. He spent most of his teenage years carrying that burden after becoming the No. 1 junior over a decade ago.

Since turning pro in 2004 at just 14 years of age, Young has gone through many highs and lows. He cracked the Top 100 in 2007 before spending three years outside it. Then he surged to a high of No. 38 in 2012, only to topple backwards outside of the Top 200.

The 27-year-old has won two International Tennis Federation Pro Circuit titles and seven ATP Challenger titles (spaced out over six years), but has has yet to win an ATP crown.

Still, it looks like the Atlanta resident has found his rhythm, settling in at No. 69 going into Delray Beach after having reached the Memphis semifinals last week.

"I'm feeling good," he said on Tuesday after upsetting Ivo Karlovic in Delray. "I was actually two points away from feeling awful in Memphis in the first round ... Those kind of 50-50 matches that you can come out on top in the end can change your whole scope and set the tone from there."

In Memphis, he would go on to score his first career wins over fellow Americans Reilly Opelka and John Isner. This week, he beat Karlovic for the first time in three tries (having lost to him in the 2015 Delray Beach final).

On Thursday, Young fought past 19-year-old Taylor Fritz, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. He then got a walkover from Steve Darcis to advance to his second straight semifinal.

Fritz has been labeled the new great hope of American tennis, and is already well-accustomed to carrying the expectations. Fritz was the youngest American in the Top 100 last year (peaking at No. 53), but he has since dropped to No. 112.

Young has some advice for Fritz, and all of the young, budding American stars.

"As far as just, in general, how to handle it: Enjoy it," Young said. "Don't put too high of expectations on yourself, because then it's not just the weight of what you feel other people think you would be doing. It's your expectations as well. You keep adding and adding, and it's tough to play free."

Fritz was not the only American youngster left in the draw at the start of the day on Thursday. Jared Donaldson, one year older and ranked 12 spots higher at No. 100, also advanced to the second round of Delray (before losing to Sam Querrey).

"I was thinking, for me, if was different when I was [turning pro]," Young said. "You have all these young good Americans ... They have a group of each other coming through. When I was coming through I was pretty much the only one.

"To have that core of friends that you can go out and eat with, and practice with and enjoy the same experiences with ... it's pretty cool."

Don't feel too bad for Young, though. He feels he's still got his best playing days ahead of him.

"That's the way you have to see it now moving forward," he said. "...I'm happy to be 27 and playing some good tennis. I still have time. I'm right in the midst of the age of the guys that are doing well, anyway."