Jared Donaldson may not be on the radar of most tennis enthusiasts let alone the casual fan, but he should. The twenty-year-old Rhode Island native has just attained a career high ranking of sixty-five in the world.

From a very young age, he clearly has marched to the beat of his own drum. Eschewing the elite tennis academies and the USTA player development program while playing relatively few junior tournaments, Donaldson chose to relocate to Argentina where he trained on the red clay for two and a half years.

It was on the South American dirt that he improved his agility, learned patience, and harnessed consistency. In the current era of power hitting and extreme physicality, a player cannot afford mediocrity; success on all surfaces demands mental as well as physical stamina in addition to varied shot selection.

Choosing not to attend college, he turned professional at eighteen and within two years was ranked inside the top 100 on the ATP Tour. He is currently in 10th place in the Emirates ATP Race to Milan – the inaugural Next Gen ATP finals to be held this November for players twenty-one and under ranked within the top two hundred.

Although he is still seeking his first title on the ATP Tour, Donaldson, nonetheless, made headlines last fall at the US Open. In the first round, he upset then world no. 12 David Goffin for his first top twenty win on route to a third-round meeting with Ivo Karlovic. Though he lost to Dr. Ivo in straight sets, he electrified American fans eager to anoint their next great champion.

His performance on the blistering hot hard courts of Flushing Meadows was not a flash in the pan; he continues to make progress and impress. On the equally steamy hard courts in Miami this past spring, he reached the fourth round of a Masters 1000 event for the first time.

Having previously worked with former touring pros and father-son coaching team of Phil and Taylor Dent, Donaldson is currently working with two other former players, Jan-Michael-Gambill and Mardy Fish.

He is quick to credit the Dent’s with his significantly improved serve and all-around more aggressive style of play. During his stunning upset of Goffin in four sets last fall he served 12 aces. It was the veteran Belgian that succumbed to fatigue; Donaldson had the legs to withstand Goffin’s relentless defense, no doubt a consequence of his training on the dirt.

Like Hall of Famer Andre Agassi, he embraces hard work both on and off the court and utilizes his consistency to wear down his opponents. On July 22, 2017, Andy Roddick, the last American man to win a grand slam tournament, will be inducted into the prestigious International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Since his victory over Juan Carlos Ferrero at the 2003 US Open, pundits and fans alike have been praying and predicting who might be the next great American grand slam champion. While two other young American prospects – Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe – have most recently garnered the bulk of attention, Jared Donaldson - once again off the grid – has been playing the long game.

Always seeking knowledge and the means to improve, he seems determined to evolve both physically and mentally in order to better position himself to manage the inevitable peaks and valleys of a grueling year-long season, not to mention the inordinate media attention befitting a young, rising star.

Unwavering commitment and focus are requisite to excel over the long term on tour. Jared Donaldson appears fully invested in the present and future and poised to leave his mark on the game.

While still in elementary school, he invested in the stock market. To date, the tennis establishment has drastically undervalued his burgeoning portfolio. Perhaps on the lush lawns of the All England Club and Newport Casino, appropriate attention finally will be paid.