As a worldwide absolute power of sport and one of those of tennis, USA Crossing is still made of what is happening with your male tennis. And, while nobody takes a step forward, will go worse over time: since Andy Roddick beat a Juan Carlos Ferrero In the 2003 US Open final, no American player has won a Grand Slam. If no one remedies this year in the big block, the worrying drought of the country in which myths were born like Pete Sampras y Other agassi It will leave exactly at 22.
The men towards those who look in America to fulfill this kind of national mission, which are measured this next morning in one of the semifinals of the 1000 Masters of Toronto, Taylor Fritz y Ben Shelton. Both are also the two American players who are currently in the world top-10, with Fritz as fourth raqueta and Shelton as fourth.
Taylor Fritz, number 4 in the world
The expectations permanent especially in Fritz, because the San Diego player was so close but at the same time so far from knocking down the curse last year when he reached the final of the US Open but losing it clearly against Jannik Sinner in three sets (6-3, 6-4 and 7-5). With Italian and Carlos Alcaraz, American tennis has it even more hairy to end his curse. Even so, Taylor Fritz broke an important barrier in the Us Open past to be the first American finalist of a great slam in and a half: the country did not see a player arriving at the game for the title since Roddick lost the Wimbledon 2009 final against Roger Federerhis black beast.
The Cañero de Nebraska also lost the most prestigious Major final against the Swiss in 2004 and 2005 and Basel tennis player also deprived him of the title in New York in 2006. Federer also left Other agassi Without his ninth Grand Slam in the final of the US Open of 2005. Despite such a negative streak, the United States remains the country with bigger in male tennis with 147 and enjoys what he sees this year in the female with the victory of Madison Keys in the Open of Australia and the Coco Gauff In Roland Garros to leave behind the nostalgia of the times of Serena Williams.
While American female tennis progresses with Grand Slam winners like Coco Gauff, the masculine is still stagnant
Fritz, which has the 1000 Masters of Indian Wells In his record, he reflected on whether he feels the responsibility of being the one who ends the curse.
“I don't feel like I have a responsibility to do it, I don't feel like people count on me or anything. I think all the pressure is just the pressure I put on myself. As a competitor, I have dedicated my whole life to playing tennis and that is what I really want, win a Grand Slam. So the pressure only comes from me to want it and not from any other part,” said the American of 27 years to MD after getting rid of Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals of Canada.
After Roddick's final in Wimbledon 2009 and before Fritz was planted in the US Open final in 2024, the United States had seen the ATP circuit large players Top-10 as John Isner, Sam Querrey y Jack Sockbut none of them reached a Grand Slam final also coinciding with the rise of Big Three that Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer and a Novak Djokovic integrated that will try in this next US open to lift his desired Grand Slam number 25.
Ben Shelton, world number 7
After Fritz, Ben Shelton is by ranking the other hope for an American tennis player to win a great one once and for all in the US Open, an ideal place for being the American Grand Slam and the conditions of a clue in which the American jams feel like fish in the water. New York already saw the promising Shelton arriving at the semifinals in 2023, in which he was eliminated by Djokovic.
The world number 7 told MD to be motivated by such responsibility:
“It is not pressure, it is definitely motivation. I have no doubt that one of us will get it at some point. Who knows who it is, you, guys, you just have to wait and see. I think the American tennis is in a really good place,” said Atlanta's tennis player only 22 years.
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Apart from Fritz and Shelton, Frances Tiafoeworld number 12, and Tommy Paul, The 15 of the ATP ranking also emerge as alternatives to contribute to the cause. Tiafoe, 27, also came far last year at the US Open with semifinals. For his part, Paul, 28, signed eighths in 2023 and 2024 as the best result, being the semi of the Australia Open of 2023 his best result in a Grand Slam to date.
There would be nothing like the essence of promised land of the Great apple For the United States to restore lost pride. There are hopes, but the Americans are getting tired of waiting. America wants to be great in tennis again.
