When Tommy Paul defeated Roberto Bautista Agut by a random net on Monday, it was the first time in 23 years that three American men – Paul, Ben Shelton and Sebastian Korda – had reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
The last trio to do so were Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Chris Woodruff, now the current head coach at the University of Tennessee.
American tennis has emerged from the slumber that has set in since Andy Roddick’s victory at the 2003 US Open, and the biggest barometer of success comes in the form of Monday’s updated ATP rankings. They feature 10 American men in the top 50 in the world.
The United States will take 20 percent of the world’s top 50. Big things are happening.
Ben Shelton (left) and Jessica Pegula (right) are among the American stars shining in Australia
The 20-year-old only turned pro last year but is embarking on a fairytale run in Australia
It is important to first insist that this is no coincidence. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has been working for years to improve the way and quality of the programs that promote youth.
It should also be put into perspective that collegiate tennis is proving to be an incredibly useful route to the top for America’s rising stars.
Ben Shelton, former NCAA champion at the University of Florida, is currently the best example in Melbourne.
But Monday’s rankings mark a clear shift in US tennis’ renaissance, as nine of the 10 are under the age of 25: Taylor Fritz (25), Frances Tiafoe (25), Korda (22), Paul (25), Jenson Brooksby (22), John Isner (37), Shelton (20), JJ Wolf (24), Reilly Opelka (24) and Brandon Nakashima (21).
For women, eight of the top 50 come from the United States.
Tommy Paul meets Shelton in an all-American quarterfinal, the deepest he’s played in a slam
Sebastian Korda (left) is stepping up while Taylor Fritz (right) is the top-ranked American
“These young guys come up and push each other,” Dean Goldfine, one of Shelton’s coaches, told the New York Times.
“I think that’s one of the things that’s contributing to our success as a country right now.
“We have these waves. It’s not just one guy here, one guy there. We have a lot of them and I think there’s a friendly rivalry there.
American tennis’s biggest statement appeared to have come from Mackenzie McDonald as he knocked out defending champion and 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal.
McDonald would lose his next game, but the baton was taken by Korda, who defeated 2021 and 2022 finalist Daniil Medvedev on his way to the quarterfinals, and Shelton, who has been the biggest upset yet.
Shelton had never played outside of America – he had never left the country – but the 20-year-old Florida Gators alumni is now dreaming of a fairytale run that could include a semi-final meeting with none other than Novak Djokovic.
Coco Gauff is only 18 years old but already has experience of reaching a Grand Slam final
This is new territory for Korda, Paul and Shelton; None of them have ever made the bottom eight of a slam. But there’s also a sense of belonging and with Shelton facing Paul, USA is guaranteed representation in the last four of the men’s singles.
Compare it to the 2022 edition, which had just two American men in the fourth round and zero in the quarterfinals. The progress is remarkable — and doesn’t suggest it could be reversed any time soon.
Shelton, the first American in 20 years to reach a major quarterfinal before the age of 21 – since Roddick at Wimbledon in 2003 – is turning heads both in the dressing room and among tennis fans.
“Honestly, if he plays like this day after day, the guy is in the top 10 in six months,” Alexei Popyrin said of Shelton, with the American not being broken once in his third round game.
There is also great progress on the women’s side, with Jessica Pegula’s consistency really pushing the standards up – and not forgetting Coco Gauff’s superstar quality.
Frances Tiafoe is a force to be reckoned with and is widely regarded as a future champion
Pegula, whose parents Terry and Kim own the NFL’s Bills and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabers, is the ranking surviving player in women’s singles.
She is in her third consecutive Australian Open quarterfinal. This latest appearance is her fourth quarterfinal appearance in her last five Grand Slam tournaments.
Having never reached a Slam semifinal, the key now for Pegula and the American men still in contention is to boldly take the next step.
“I feel more confident, I have more experience in this position,” said Pegula after her 7-5, 6-2 win over Barbora Krejčíková.
“I think I definitely feel a little bit more confident than in the past at these tournaments.
“I played better than in any of my other Grand Slam quarterfinals. I think that helps. I think I feel more experience coming in here. I think my win will give me a lot of confidence.’