Time for a home US Open winner! Will Tiafoe follow Roddick?

John McEnroe, Pete Sampras or Andre Agassi. The list of domestic US Open winners contains a lot of interesting names. But the stream of Americans who triumphed in Flushing Meadows has dried up since 2013. Frances Tiafoe believes that only temporarily. Can he win this year?

It’s been twenty years since a home tennis player last triumphed at the US Open. It was Andy Roddick, who didn’t give a set to Spain’s Ferrer in the final. But thanks to Nadal and Alcaraz, the Spanish have won the US Open trophy five times in recent years.

The Americans are still waiting in vain for a successor to McEnroe, Sampras or Roddick. Never in history have the representatives of the USA had to wait as long as now. Is there a chance for that to change this year in the current hegemony of Djokovic and Alcaraz?

Enough quality Americans

According to Frances Tiafoe, it is only a matter of time before the home players break the unflattering streak. He himself is convinced that the quality is definitely there in the US team.

He named Paul and Fritz among the greatest American mainstays. He doesn’t forget Eubanks or younger players like Shelton and Korda. Last but not least, he also names himself.

After all, last year he was among the last four players in the tournament here, this year he has pushed his way into the top ten of the ATP rankings. So why not?

Whether it’s himself or one of his teammates, it’s sure to be a huge event. “I believe one of us is capable of doing it. It’s going to be great,” he adds with determination, according to the Tennismajors website.

Conclusion

Winning a grand slam is the ultimate goal of most tennis players. Double everything twice if it is a major on home soil.

Back in the days of Sampras and Agassi, American pundits were looking in vain for the next continuation of this country’s glorious tennis tradition. For a time everything was saved by Roddick, but those days are long gone and for sixteen years the tennis player from the USA did not even advance to the final of the Grand Slam in New York.

The Tiafoe-appointed representatives of the host country are not exactly brimming with great form. With perhaps one exception. Paul shone at the Masters in Toronto a fortnight ago when he won the scalp of Alcaraz. He came home from Canada with points for his semi-final appearance.

Tiafoe himself had a great showing on grass, but the concrete season has been nothing to write home about. He’s only won one match in his last two events.

There is no doubt about his huge motivation to succeed at the US Open. There is no doubt that he will improve on last year’s result and secure his home country’s participation in the final for the first time in years. We have to look elsewhere for the biggest favourites.

Sources: ATP, Tennismajors