Sweeting: Today's tennis is more physical

Americans James Blake and Ryan Sweeting responded to whether it is unfair for U.S. players to face questioning about why they are unable to match the feats of previous great generations, including those led by John McEnroe and Pete Sampras.

"It could be a little bit unfair," James Blake told the Memphis Daily News. "But it’s part of what you let yourself in for when you’re on the ATP tour. Guys like (Sam) Querrey and Donald Young are starting to deal with it, guys like Ryan Harrison and Jack Sock, will be dealing with it. I dealt with it, Andy [Roddick] dealt with it, and I know early on Andy got a little frustrated. But you know the questions are going to be part of any press conference. So you just give your stock answer and go on."

McEnroe said that in his day the more skilled players could at least on occasion defeat the better athletes. "They couldn’t out-physical you," McEnroe said.

Sweeting responded: "Tell me one player from 25 years ago that could have lasted six hours,” Sweeting said in reference to the near six-hour Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal last month. "If you’re not physically fit now, it’s impossible to compete."