Issue no. 22: Hopes Of American Man Winning US Open Still Alive

As the US Open forges on with the second week of the year’s final major, men’s quarterfinal matches beginning Tuesday include two Americans.

With that, comes the annual reminder that an American man has not won the US Open since Andy Roddick last did so in 2003.

So for the 20 years that have come and gone, every loss and every win by an American has carried a lot of weight.

However, the hope and expectation that an American will be the last man standing this year are as close to realistic as fans have felt in the last two decades.

With Tommy Paul losing a hard fought, yet straight set loss, Monday evening to world no. 1 Jannik Sinner, the proverbial monkey now sits solely on the shoulders of Francis Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz.

The quarterfinals begin Tuesday, as Tiafoe will face Grigor Dmitrov and Fritz will take on Alexander Zverev for spots in the semifinals.

The two lone Americans likely already know this, but had they watched Paul’s match versus Sinner, they’ll know that it’ll take more than a favorably raucous New York crowd for them to emerge victorious.

Crowd influence can certainly alter a match in the early rounds, but as the players are now swimming in deeper waters, it’ll be up to them whether they sink or swim.

Historically, at this stage in a major, the remaining players are those that are best able to show poise, focus and timely shot-making abilities.

Tiafoe and Fritz have yet to execute all of these facets in majors.

Tuesday is another chance, in a sport where chances can be fleeting.

So as 20 years of non-American champions haunt their attempts to change history, it’ll be interesting to see how both players handle the mental and physical game that awaits.