For the first time since 2005, three American men are into the US Open quarterfinals.
Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton ensured it was a memorable Sunday for the host nation, all winning their fourth-round matches to progress to the last eight in New York. Fritz and Tiafoe, both top-10 players and the two highest-ranked American men, won in straight sets.
All three have taken a step closer to becoming the first American man to win their home Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick 20 years ago.
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One is guaranteed to make the semifinals, given Tiafoe and Shelton play each other on Tuesday.
Tiafoe was also a semifinalist last year, one set from becoming the first American men’s finalist at the tournament since Roddick in 2006. He ultimately fell to Carlos Alcaraz in an electric five-setter.
Roddick was interviewed recently in GQ magazine, in which he revealed he was encouraged by the upside of this younger American generation.
Yet he stopped short of tipping which of them he considered most likely, as the author put it, to “break American men’s 20-year curse”.
“I wouldn’t want one guy to get the spotlight and have to deal with that. But I honestly don’t know that one is head and shoulders above,” Roddick said.
“There is a healthy jealousy between the players. They’re not all just slapping each other on the back. They want to be better than the other guy.
“They actually talk about winning Slams.”
Fritz referenced this same motivational force after ending Dominic Stricker’s inspiring run at the tournament.
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Following his 7-6(2) 6-4 6-4 win over the young Swiss qualifier, Fritz was informed he had helped the US achieve an 18-year first by joining Tiafoe and Shelton in the quarters.
"I've said it for a long time – whenever one of us does something, achieves something, it motivates everyone else,” he said.
“We're all pushing each other, and it's great to see three Americans in the quarters."
Shelton shines again
Sunday began with Shelton, 20, opening play at Arthur Ashe Stadium against countryman Tommy Paul, marking the first time four Americans had lined up in the fourth round since 2011.
At world No.14, Paul is the third-ranked American and won his last meeting with Shelton, in the quarterfinals at Australian Open 2023.
Shelton admitted he “panicked” in that match and vowed to learn from it. It seems he had, given the 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-4 win.
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In the seven months between his Australian and US Open quarterfinals, Shelton struggled to adjust to competing at tour-level full time, winning just nine of the 28 matches he played.
Admittedly driven by negative comments on social media, and with faith in his abilities over five sets, he has channelled this into another Grand Slam milestone.
He is the first American man to reach the Australian and US quarters in one season since Roddick in 2007, and the youngest American male US Open quarterfinalist since a 20-year-old Roddick did so in 2002.
His serve – which peaked at a tournament-high 240km/h against Paul – also recalls Roddick’s cannonball delivery.
“I think it's a really cool opportunity for American tennis. This is what you guys always talk to us about: 'who's going to be the next Grand Slam champion? Who's going to do it?’” Shelton said.
“I always have the same reply: 'American tennis is going in a great direction and I don't know who's going to be the next to get a Slam, be the next Andy Roddick, but I know we're all on our own path and we're all doing things our own way and improving year to year.'
“I can see it in these guys. Hopefully see the same kind of trend with myself.
“I'm not really too worried about what happens from here on. It's pretty cool to know that at least one American is going to be in the semifinals here.”
Tiafoe returns to quarters
Tiafoe ensured that would be the case thanks to a 6-4 6-1 6-4 win over breakout Aussie star Rinky Hijikata.
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The world No.10 has appeared in the second week at the past four US Opens, winning 15 of his past 18 matches at what is now by far his best Slam. He has won 17 career matches at Flushing Meadows; his next best tally is 10 match wins at Wimbledon.
By booking a showdown with Shelton, it guaranteed two American male quarterfinalists at the US Open for the first time since Roddick and John Isner 12 years earlier.
“Ben has wanted to play me at the Open for a long time. So he's going to be super excited. He's going to come out with a lot of energy,” Tiafoe foreshadowed.
“I think (it’s) great representation… Two people of colour playing in the quarterfinals, huge match on Arthur Ashe (Stadium). It's a pretty monumental moment.
“We're both just going to go out there and compete and try to put on a show for everybody. At the end of the day I just want to go out there and win a tennis match.
“The bigger picture things, I think tennis is going to win. More important, an American is going to be in the semis.”
Fritz seeking breakthrough
Could there be two?
That’s what Fritz is hoping, after reaching his first US Open quarterfinal. It is his second at a Grand Slam tournament; he appeared at the same stage at Wimbledon last year.
The 25-year-old is yet to drop a set this week but will face a significant spike in the degree of difficulty when he meets 23-time major champion Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic leads the head-to-head series 7-0, most notably beating Fritz in five sets at Australian Open 2021.
"It feels amazing (to be here). Since my last (major) quarterfinal I've had a lot of struggles at Slams, so there's no other place I'd rather do it than to go on a run obviously in the US,” said Fritz, who is targeting a first major semifinal.
"Novak's got me a lot, but I think one of these times I'm going to get him (smiling), so I'll keep trying. At least I hope.
“I've got nothing to lose, so I'm going to go out there and have fun, and I'm going to play my best tennis, because I know when I do, I give myself a chance."