Last week, the top 10 men were from Europe. Over all, 72 of the top 100 men and 75 of the top 100 women were European.

“I think the main point here is that Europe has done a remarkable job; they are producing virtually all of the top players,” said Doug MacCurdy, the director of player development for the United States Tennis Association from 1998 to 2001.

Spain, with its numerous academies and welcoming weather, is now a European counterweight to Florida as a training ground. Though former powerhouses like Sweden have faded, European federations in countries like France, Spain, Belgium, Germany and the Czech Republic have consistently succeeded at developing top 100 talent. Gifted and driven players from European nations like Serbia have found a way to rise by leaving their countries.

Players have become professional in approach, if not in name, at an increasingly early age, and the dense network of satellite tournaments in Europe and the competition among the numerous small nations working on their own to produce champions have contributed to the success. Tennis remains a major sport in Europe, attracting world-class athletes who in the United States might gravitate to more popular and visible team sports.

Tennis in the United States, despite respectable junior participation numbers and healthy attendance at professional tournaments, is a niche sport. But Patrick McEnroe, the head of player development for the U.S.T.A. since 2008, denies that there is a talent deficit.

“Look, obviously we’d love to get the pick of the litter, but I’m telling you there are plenty of kids out there playing right now who are damn good athletes,” McEnroe said. “Our job is to do a better job of coaching them and mentoring them, and I think, quite frankly, we fell behind in that department as a country over all in developing players from a technical standpoint and a strategic standpoint.”

McEnroe says too many young Americans have learned to strike the ball but not to play the game. To combat that, he and his team are pushing the clay-court game, which they see as one of the foundations of Europe’s success in that it demands point construction, stroke variety, patience and endurance.