After his unexpected withdrawal from the U.S. Open, Djokovic said, “Look, Alcaraz is out, I’m out, some big upsets — the draw is opening up.”
The year 2024 is an American’s chance to shine at the U.S. Open.
Following their respective defeats by No. 2 Novak Djokovic and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz at the year’s final Grand Slam, tennis fans can now focus on some home crowd favorites to go far. Watch free local news and weather from NBC 5 wherever you are with our 24/7 streaming service.
After his startling loss to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in the third round on Friday night, even Djokovic believes that a tennis player from the United States can make a significant impact in the draw.
After his defeat, Djokovic remarked, “Look, Alcaraz is out, I’m out, some big upsets — the draw is opening up.” “[Jannik] Sinner is undoubtedly the front-runner, but [Frances] Tiafoe and [Taylor] Fritz, the American favorite, are also present. It is attainable for all. Who wins the title in the end will be exciting to see.”
The remaining American men in the draw include No. 12 Taylor Fritz, No. 14 Tommy Paul, No. 20 Frances Tiafoe and No. 40 Brandon Nakashima.
Tiafoe defeated fellow countryman and No. 13 Ben Shelton earlier on Friday in an all-American match that lasted five exhausting sets. Tiafoe will now play Popyrin for a spot in the quarterfinals instead of Djokovic. They will meet for the first time on this occasion.
Regarding the two Americans, Fritz will play 2022 runner-up Casper Ruud, while Nakashima—who is perhaps having his best tennis of the year—will play Zverev. Fritz and Nakashima will undoubtedly advance to the semifinals if they win all of their matches.
One of the American players might then face a matchup with Tiafoe for a chance to advance to the championship.
Paul, who will take on Canada’s Gabriel Diallo on Saturday, is aiming to earn a spot in the third round on the opposite side of the draw.
Paul may have a more difficult time making it to the semifinals, though, with players like Alex de Minaur, Medvedev, and Sinner surrounding him.
The future is bright for America’s youthful tennis stars at the U.S. Open, even if it has been 20 years since Andy Roddick’s victory in 2003. Their breakthrough may be closer than we realize.
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