The U.S. men look more promising than they have in 20 years

NEW YORK — It was only a few moments after his dominant second-round win that Ben Shelton was asked about his next opponent.

Covered in sweat and with a drenched towel draped over his shoulder on the blistering hot Wednesday afternoon, Shelton claimed he didn’t know he would be facing Frances Tiafoe in the third round of the US Open. Shelton said he doesn’t look at the draw in advance, but it didn’t take him long to warm up to the idea.

“You guys made this draw exciting early in the week, huh?” he said with a grin to the delighted crowd at Grandstand. “I’m really looking forward to it. We had a battle in the quarters here last year. I’m sure it’ll be another popcorn-type match.”

On Friday, in front of a packed and likely raucous crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the two Americans will play with a spot in the fourth round on the line. It promises to be one of the most desirable tickets of the 2024 US Open and there is already a palpable buzz around the grounds. But while only one of the two can advance to the second week, their much-hyped match perhaps embodies the current state of American men’s tennis, and the enthusiasm around the top group of players.

While there has been endless talk about what is now a 21-year major title drought for the U.S. men, five American men are ranked in the top 20, including Shelton (No. 13) and Tiafoe (No. 20). The group has been collecting wins, generating viral moments and headlines — and seems closer to snapping the streak than they have in years.

And they believe one of them can win it.

“We’ve all been playing really well,” Tiafoe said Wednesday. “There’s a window, there’s an opening in the game. … I think this is definitely the one [Slam] that we can win. We just haven’t done it yet. We have five guys in top 20, all guys are dangerous, all guys are capable. It’s kind of a ‘Why not?’ thing.”

When Andy Roddick hoisted the trophy at the US Open in 2003, few could have predicted that decades would pass without another American man doing the same. Given the contenders over the years — including Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, who had both won recent titles at that point — it seemed all but certain Roddick and the new generation would take up the mantle.

Of course, few could have also predicted the rise and dominance of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic over the next two decades. It was not to be for the American men.