CNN
–
For too long, American men have been threatening to break up. Tennis‘ Elite and, in this year US OpenLooks like the time has finally come.
For the first time since 2005, three Americans reached the quarterfinals of the men’s draw. It also meant that at least one American star was guaranteed to be in the semi-finals.
Taylor Fritz, Francis Tiafoe and Ben Shelton were the trio still chasing dreams of winning a home Grand Slam. Not since Andy Roddick in 2003 has an American won the US Open.
Shelton will be the American advancing to the semifinals, as he Defeated Tiafoe 6-2 3-6 7-6(7) 6-2 earlier Wednesday. Fritz, meanwhile, lost his quarterfinal match to the 23-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic6-1 6-4 6-4.
Andre Agassi, James Blake and Robbie Ganpre were the previous American trom virates to reach the last eight of the men’s competition. On this occasion, 18 years ago, Agassi made it to the final before losing. Roger Federer.
Given to Djokovic and the Spanish superstar. Carlos Alcaraz With both still in the draw, a home winner this year is highly unlikely – though not impossible.
World No. 9 Fritz said morale was high in the American group and seeing others succeed helped motivate his own performance.
“I’ve said it for a long time, whenever one of us does something, achieves something, it makes everyone else feel like they can do it too,” he said. US Open website.
Fritz, who has worked his way into the top 10 over the past year, was certainly the toughest competitor on Tuesday.
In Djokovic, he was up against the greatest tennis player of all time, but the 25-year-old American said he would not be overwhelmed by the opportunity.
“I’m not going to overplay. I’m not going to do anything different because I’m playing Novak,” he told reporters after reaching the quarterfinals.
“I’m going to play my game, play within myself and believe that if I play well, that’s enough.”
Both Taifoe and Shelton faced a very different kind of challenge.
This couple knows each other very well. Bidding to make a second consecutive US Open semi-final, world No. 10 Tiafoe was the likely favorite for the contest, having dropped just one set in the tournament before Tuesday night.
His 20-year-old rival certainly had the skills to cause Tiafoe problems. The youngster has a towering serve and an impressive forehand.
“It’s a big match. She’s a bug. She’s got crazy energy, endless energy,” Tiafoe told reporters about facing Shelton.
“He’s going to come after me, and I’m going to come after him. It’s going to be a great battle, we’re going to compete really hard.”
Shelton upset fellow American Tommy Paul to reach his first US Open quarterfinal. The result at the time matched her best run in a Grand Slam, which was reached at the same stage at the Australian Open earlier this year.
This is further evidence of her impressive rise from outside the top 100 last year to her current position as world number 47.
“I’ve learned to be really mentally tough,” Shelton said before the Tiafoe match, explaining how he’s improved since the Australian Open.
“When I was playing in Australia after a long week, I was looking at my box and saying, ‘My legs are dead. I’m tired. I can’t go anymore.’
“I realized how important it was for me to believe in myself, to believe that I could go all the way, the full distance, emotionally and physically, and now I have that belief here.”