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The 20-year wait for an American men\u2019s Grand Slam singles champion will have to pass the ultimate test if it is to end at this year\u2019s US Open after a memorable first week in New York. Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe all made their way into the quarterfinals on Sunday at Flushing Meadows to edge one match closer to lifting the trophy on Sunday Sep. 10.<\/p>\n
It is not quite Great Britain\u2019s wait for a Wimbledon champion, but for a country that has produced John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, two decades is already the longest wait the American men have had to endure.<\/p>\n
Andy Roddick was the last man to achieve the feat – and he did it in New York, beating Juan Carlos Ferrero to win the 2003 US Open By that stage, Federer had won just one of his 20 major titles, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic had won none of their 22 and 23 respectively.<\/p>\n
And the current men\u2019s No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz was just three months old – he now has two Grand Slam titles.<\/p>\n
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Roddick is the only American man since his own triumph in 2003 to reach a Grand Slam final, losing on all four occasions to Federer. For the record on the women\u2019s side, Serena and Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens and Sofia Kenin have all chalked up major triumphs.<\/p>\n
So that\u2019s the drought, but how well placed are this year\u2019s American men to end it?<\/p>\n
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First, the good news. For the first time since 2005 three American men are through to the quarterfinals of the US Open – as Renae Stubbs eloquently put to a laughing Frances Tiafoe on Sunday night – \u2018they are finally catching up with the women\u2019<\/p>\n
All three are also in the same half of the draw, in theory increasing the odds of an American man in the final. There is also no Federer or Nadal, winners of nine US Open titles in the 19 editions held since Roddick\u2019s triumph.<\/p>\n
Now, the bad news. The fourth man in the section in Djokovic. Yes that Novak Djokovic. A 23-time Grand Slam winner, three-time US Open champion and six-time runner-up at Flushing Meadows. And the winner of 11 of the last 20 majors, including the Australian and French Opens this year.<\/p>\n
The Serb is 36 and does not appear to be slowing down, if anything he is rising to the challenge of Alcaraz, the 20-year-old who beat him at Wimbledon and looks to be the heir to the throne at the top of the men\u2019s game.<\/p>\n
So if an American man is to find his way to the final and what will likely be the defending champion in Alcaraz, he\u2019ll have to beat Djokovic to do it. And Djokovic does not look to be in an accommodating mood. He won the last tournament he entered, beating Alcaraz in the Cincinnati Masters finals.<\/p>\n
Perhaps more importanty he is riding a 29-winning streak against Americans. 13 of those coming in Grand Slam matches.<\/p>\n
The last American man to beat him in a major was Sam Querrey who was a third round winner on the grass of Wimbledon in 2016. Fritz will get first crack. The ninth seed will face Djokovic on Tuesday after blasting his way to the quarterfinals without dropping a set.<\/p>\n
But Fritz has yet to win in seven career meetings with Djokovic and has only won two sets against the Serb. Coming from two sets down to force a decider at the Australian Open in 2021, a decider Djokovic won.<\/p>\n
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One of Tiafoe and Shelton will at least get to go one match further. The pair will face off under the floodlights on Arthur Ashe in the most exciting looking of all four quarterfinals. The winner will face Djokovic or Fritz in the semifinal and their Tuesday showdown is also historic. Per ESPN, it is the first major tournament since 1968 to feature multiple Black American men in the quarterfinals. It will also be box office.<\/p>\n
Tiafoe said after his win over Rinky Hijikata: \u201cHe\u2019s got crazy endless energy, he\u2019s gonna come after me, I\u2019m gonna come after him. It\u2019s gonna be a great battle – we\u2019re gonna compete really hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tiafoe blazed his way to the last four last year to raise hopes of an American men\u2019s champion. And he came mightily close to taking out Alcaraz in a thrilling five set semifinal.<\/p>\n
Don’t miss… <\/strong> However the 25-year-old has lost both his matches against Djokovic, while Shelton – just 20 – can perhaps take some comfort from the fact he has yet to face the all-conquering Serbian.<\/p>\n It is a daunting task for any player, but this fearless group of emerging Americans are rising to each challenge laid before them. Eight US men find themselves in the top 50 of the world rankings, more than any other country<\/p>\n They have all spoken about how they can push each other further. If any are to emerge victorious and end the wait, they\u2019ll have done it the hard way. The very hard way.<\/p>\n Source: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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