We are fully amidst the Chinese hardcourt swing and with both men’s and women’s Masters tournaments going on at the moment, we can take a look at one of the hottest nations right now in tennis. Yes, you read that right – I would consider the USA one of the most up- and coming nations again (arguably next to Italy and France). Their young guns on both sides of the pro tour are doing damage wherever possible and the success at the US Open did not come as a surprise.
Men’s US tennis – who is the number one?
Well, the men have had a hard time against their female competitor in past years. Not only did the US have one of the greatest tennis players ever in Serena Williams, but the likes of Coco Gauff and Jess Pegula have caried on this legacy immediately with Masters and Grand Slam titles. But there is hope since the next generation of American tennis has arrived on the men’s circuit and they are getting closer. Taylor Fritz is coming off an astonishing season with his very first Grand Slam final (see video below), Frances Tiafoe seems to be back to his old strength, Tommy Paul is as solid as they get and the most talented ones might be Sebastian Korda and Ben Shelton after all. A whopping total of 5 US boys is ranked within the top-25 right now, but who will be the best of them when it is all said and done?
Right now, the driver’s seat for best US American player is all about Taylor Fritz. The Californian is ranked No. 7 in the world, has reached two Slam quarterfinals and one Slam final in this season, and seems to be their safest bet for a major title any time soon. His improvement in fitness, footwork and tactics can be seen in every match and have helped him reach another level. There are still moments however, when Fritz’s game seems a bit one-dimensional, based on heavy hitting from the baseline mainly.
The second ranked American in Tommy Paul sometimes faces a similar problem, as his counterpunching shotmaker style seems to be limited at times as well. He has introduced a lot more of variance lately, as he now frequently looks to get into the net and finish the point, but his main tactic seems to have a limited success against the top-10.
This leaves us with the more unconventional of American players, Frances Tiafoe. If you were to see his movements in your local club, you wouldn’t guess him to be your top tour player, let alone World No. 15. But his varied and tricky style makes him a tough opponent to face, once he is enjoying himself on the court, it is hard to stop “Big Foe”. To achieve a top-10 comeback, he needs to mainly dial in his mental game, so that he doesn’t overplay the trick-shots and sticks to his powerful game.
Sebastian Korda is a bit to hard to grasp in his level – experts all over the world see him as one of the most talented young players out there, but with injuries and struggles, his season once again wasn’t what they hoped to be. The son of former top-player Petr Korda has about every shot in the game, but sometimes struggles to string together a good week or a title run. It remains to be seen if he can get a good and healthy season together.
While all of the above have more than just top-20 potential, I agree with some experts that the one for a top-5 career might be Ben Shelton. His raw talent and athleticism are hard to overlook, with serves faster than 230 km/h and an incredible forehand. But he also sports a great touch at the net and sensational footwork, making him an all-round threat. The only thing that is keeping him from consistently showing this potential is his urge to overplay some shots and go for show rather than quality at times. If Shelton can get a bit more controlled and add some grind to his game, the US tennis will be in even better hands than it already is.
Women’s US tennis – can Gauff meet expectations?
Women’s tennis in the U.S. is a huge burden after the years of success with Serena, Venus and the likes of Lindsay Davenport. No wonder that the next talent in Coco Gauff gets a lot of pressure to carry the hopes of a nation and sometimes struggles with those. She has won her maiden major title last year, but this season was a constant up-and-down with the subsequent split from her coach, Brad Gilbert. As I am writing, she is in the Beijing semifinals, so it seems that her season might bring another title still. But Gauff’s success will mainly depend on her ability to deal with the expectations and if she can control her serve in critical moments.
The focus on Gauff has its upsides on the other hand, as it allows new players to rise and shine without the spotlight they would have in other nations. Emma Navarro has had an incredible breakout season with a Wimbledon quarter-final, a US Open semi-final and a top-10 debut. With her aggressive style she can be hit-or-miss at times, but it seems like the 23-year-old has come to stay at the top of women’s tennis. And we cannot forget about the women who actually is the top-ranked American currently, Jessica Pegula. With a similar background as Navarro, she already burst on the tour a few years ago and has established herself as a top-5 player. Her start to the season was a bit shaky, but she had an incredible US hardcourt swing with a Masters title and of course the US Open final. She will be the lead player alongside Gauff for the foreseeable future, even though Navarro and Gauff might have a higher ceiling in total.
After those three there will be a small gap, especially once Danielle Collins goes into retirement at the end of the season. Madison Keys has been struggling with injuries a lot, but she definitely has the talent to make moves in the future, while Amanda Anisimova seems to be working her way back from injury and motivational problems this year. At the top, the women of America might even be stronger than the men, but it remains to be seen how they will handle the pressure from the public.
In either way, the American tennis looks about to be back to winning ways and will make a run for Grand Slam titles in 2025 for sure.
Who is your pick to win the next US Grand Slam title?
