Venus Williams Injury Highlights Lousy Australian Open 2011 For Americans

With a serious injury forcing Venus Williams to withdraw from play, there are no American women left in the draw at the Australian Open. The No. 4 seed was the last hope for the USA, and she couldn’t make it past the third round.
The men are faring little better, with No. 18 Sam Querrey crapping out in the first round, and No. 16 Mardy Fish upset in the second. Remaining are No. 8 Andy Roddick, whose chances we like, and No. 20 John Isner, whose chances we do not. Roddick rattled off 32 aces to advance to the fourth round, while Isner still has to face No. 15 Marin Cilic.
A wealth of unseeded talent on the women’s side makes this ledger look a bit unbalanced, but the numbers are still grisly. After the jump, a complete list of Americans in the 2011 Australian Open, and the rounds in which they fell.Eliminated in first round:
• No. 18 Sam Querrey
• Jamie Hampton
• Bethanie Mattek-Sands
• Alison Riske
• Jill Craybas
• Varvara Lepchenko
• Irina Falconi
• Coco Vandeweghe
• Christina McHale
• Lauren Davis
• Melanie Oudin
• Donald Young
• Ryan Harrison
Eliminated in second round:
• No. 16 Mardy Fish
• Vania King
• Ryan Sweeting
• Michael Russell
Eliminated in third round:
• No. 4 Venus Williams
Still to play in third round:
• No. 20 John Isner
Through to fourth round:
• No. 8 Andy Roddick
So, no pressure, Andy, but the hope of a nation rides on your highly flammable shoulders. Now go out there and just have fun! U-S-A! U-S-A!