Can the U.S. Regain Tennis Prowess at Indian Wells?

American's Sam Querrey (sitting left) and Mardy Fish (sitting right)

rest during a practice session in Indian Wells.

Over the next two weeks, I have the privilege to help cover the 2012 BNP Paribas Open for Palm Desert Patch.com. I always have enjoyed watching the major tennis tournaments over the years, especially when my namesake, Pete Sampras was dominating. But watching the top players in the world in Indian Wells, Calif. brought my appreciation of the game to a whole new level. I hope to show how special the tournament is here on this blog.

One of the things evident by a quick glance at the ATP World Tour's top 10 is tennis has become a global game.

Eight countries are represented by those players, but there's only one American. Really since the aforementioned Sampras fell from the World No. 1 ranking, the U.S. has been largely irrelevant in men's tennis.

A new generation of U.S. player is hoping to break through the top four players strangle hold in the California desert.

The highest ranked American and only one in the top 10, is Mardy Fish. Ranked No. 8, Fish is really looking to get his season on track. He's just 3-3 in 2012 and suffered a bad second-round loss at the Australian Open. I think Fish is about at his ceiling with just two head-to-head wins versus the top three players in the world.

No. 31 Andy Roddick, the last American to win a major (2003 U.S. Open), has a favorable draw to make a run in the BNP Paribas, including a 6-3 match advantage over likely third-round opponent No. 7 Tomas Berdych. But Roddick's ranking has been trending downward and has not made it past the quarters in any tourney this season.

John Isner may have the best chance to put a deep BNP Paribas Open run together. Isner, ranked No. 11, boosts a 9-4 record in 2012, which includes a head-to-head win over Roger Federer in the Davis Cup.

Donald Young, Ryan Harrison and Sam Querrey are among a group of rising U.S. players, but far from making a big impact in the top 20.

So, men's tennis will remain about the best of the rest of the world, and fans are experiencing somewhat of a golden age.

Defending champion and World No. 1 Novak Djovokic is the favorite in every tournament he enters, especially since he holds a 7-0 advantage over No. 2 Rafa Nadal in finals going back to last year's Indian Wells tourney. Djoker may get an opportunity to avenge his only loss this year in the BNP semi-finals against No. 4 Andy Murray, if the seeds hold.

The Djovokic-Nadal rivalry is quickly becoming even more one-sided than the Nadal-Federer rivalry. Rafa and Roger have yet to play a match in the desert, but I expect fans will finally get their wish this year and see the two play in the semi's.

Ultimately, it's hard to judge which player is truly the best right now. Djovokic is in Nadal's head, just like Nadal is in Federer's head. However, Federer has lifetime advantage over Djovokic, and the two split a pair of classic matches at Rolond Garros and in New York last year.

It's hard to imagine that history will not repeat itself with the 2012 men's final mirroring the 2011 final, and Djovokic continuing his dominant run over Nadal. But it's March, so anything is possible.