Five American Men Reached the Last Sixteen in New York for the First Time Since 1995
Tiafoe, Shelton and Michelsen all won on Sunday. No American man has won a major since Andy Roddick in 2003.
The US Open reaches its quarter-finals this week with an American in three of the four men's matches.
On Sunday 6 September, Frances Tiafoe beat Daniil Medvedev 7-6(1), 6-4, 7-6(6); Ben Shelton beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3, 6-4; and Alex Michelsen beat Tomas Etcheverry 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-4. Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion, beat Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.
That gives Tiafoe against Michelsen and Alcaraz against Shelton. Learner Tien plays Karen Khachanov on Monday in the last fourth round match, the only American left in the top half.
Five American men reached the last sixteen, which had not happened at a major since 1995. None of them has won one: the drought runs back to Andy Roddick here in 2003.
The draw was thinned early. Jannik Sinner, the world number one, withdrew before the tournament with a right knee injury, his first missed major since Wimbledon 2019. Novak Djokovic, seeded fourth, lost in the first round to Mariano Navone, ranked 49th, 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in four hours and thirty-six minutes. It was his first opening round defeat at a major since the 2006 Australian Open and ended a run of 78 straight first round wins.
The women's quarter-finals are Aryna Sabalenka against Linda Noskova and Jessica Pegula against Emma Navarro. Total player compensation this year is 108 million dollars, up 21 per cent. The men's final is on Sunday 13 September.