It\u2019s been 22 years since an American man won the U.S. Open.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s a drought ESPN analyst Pat McEnroe predicted will end this year in Flushing Meadows. <\/p>\n
And between last year\u2019s runner-up, Taylor Fritz, and fast-rising Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul, McEnroe\u2019s prediction doesn\u2019t seem so crazy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d love to see it,\u201d said Shelton, just 22. \u201c[Frances Tiafoe] is always on a different level when he plays here. Fritz was in the finals. Tommy always plays really well here, too. \u2026 We\u2019ve got a lot of guys who can make deep runs here and play against the best players in the world. I think that it\u2019s a matter of time for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t wait for it to happen, and we move on to a different question.\u201d<\/p>\n
American women have not only held up their end, but piled up trophies.<\/p>\n
Taylor Fritz, who lost to Jannik Sinner in last year\u2019s U.S. Open final, is one of four up-and-coming Americans who can snap the American men\u2019s long title drought at the U.S. Open. Getty Images<\/p>\n
Serena Williams, sister Venus, Coco Gauff, Madison Keys, Sofia Kenin and Sloane Stephens have all won since 2017. <\/p>\n
An American woman has reached the last four Grand Slam finals \u2014 winning two \u2014 and they come into Flushing holding four of the top nine spots in the WTA rankings.<\/p>\n
The men are another story.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s been over two decades since Andy Roddick won the 2003 U.S. Open. <\/p>\n
Shelton was still in diapers, just months old. <\/p>\n
But the hard-serving lefty rolled into Flushing Meadows having reached the quarterfinals in four of his last 11 Slams.<\/p>\n
Two years after his run to the U.S. Open semis, Shelton earned his first Masters 1000 title in Canada and is ranked a career-high No. 6 in the world.<\/p>\n
And he\u2019s just one of a number of young American men poised for a breakthrough.<\/p>\n
For his part, Tiafoe said for years he didn\u2019t see the dearth of titles as an American tennis problem, but a Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal-Novak Djokovic problem.<\/p>\n
Frances Tiafoe talks with reporters during U.S. Open Media Day on Aug. 22, 2025. Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cGuys have been knocking on the door. It\u2019s been tough,\u201d Tiafoe said. \u201cI\u2019ve been thinking about that realistically for probably four years. Before that, I didn\u2019t really think it was a drought. I just think it was a Roger-Novak-Rafa issue, [Andy] Murray. You\u2019re not winning a Slam. There\u2019s a lot of other guys [not winning]. Your flag was irrelevant.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow I think the game is super-open. A lot of other guys have chances. Yeah, it builds in added pressure and added excitement as well. You\u2019re like, \u2018Wow, a lot of different guys can do that,\u2019 and especially the American guys. Four or five guys could do it \u2026 are you going to be the guy, or be the guy that watches that guy do it? It\u2019s fun, fun to be a part of.\u201d<\/p>\n