Tommy Paul's Australian run helps make US men relevant again
MELBOURNE, Australia — (AP) — Tommy Paul was too little at the time to remember watching Andy Roddick win the 2003 U.S. Open, the last Grand Slam singles title for an American man. Paul’s run at Melbourne Park is one of the many examples of the ways in which U.S. men are suddenly relevant again in tennis. That makes this sequence the first time U.S. men reached the final four at consecutive Slams in 16 years, when Roddick was the runner-up to Federer at the 2006 U.S. Open and lost to him in the semifinals at the 2007 Australian Open. Consider:— The Australian Open men's bracket was filled with big wins by 20-something Americans, including Mackenzie McDonald beating defending champion and No. “There’s a lot of hope for American tennis,” Shelton said.
wftv.comMichelle Obama supports Tiafoe in US Open semifinals
NEW YORK — (AP) — Michelle Obama waved her arms in the air and yelled, “Let's go, Foe!”Down on the U.S. Open court below, Frances Tiafoe was pleased to see he had a new fan. Mrs. Obama had a seat in the front row behind the baseline to watch the American play Friday night in the semifinals in Arthur Ashe Stadium, giving him a thumbs-up and a shoutout when she was shown on the video screens. Not long after he spotted Mrs. Obama, even before she was shown to fans, Tiafoe remembered hitting a particularly bad shot. After the match, he got to speak with Mrs. Obama and they walked out through the tunnel from the court together. “Obviously there was a lot of who’s whos in there tonight,” Tiafoe said.
wftv.comTiafoe beats Rublev; 1st US man in US Open SF in 16 years
NEW YORK — (AP) — Frances Tiafoe became the first American man to reach the U.S. Open semifinals since 2006 by beating Andrey Rublev 7-6 (3), 7-6 (0), 6-4 behind the backing of a boisterous partisan crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday. 22-seeded Tiafoe played aggressive, offensive tennis and used 18 aces along with strong net play to oust No. Andy Roddick was the last U.S. man to get to the semifinals at Flushing Meadows when he lost to Roger Fededer in the title match 16 years ago. Roddick also was the last man from the country to win any Grand Slam singles championship, taking the 2003 U.S. Open. Tiafoe’s first career Grand Slam semifinal will come Friday against No.
wftv.comWhat makes Novak Djokovic great? Shots, yes, but also mind
APTOPIX US Open Tennis Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, reacts after scoring a point against Kei Nishikori, of Japan, during the third round of the US Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, in New York. Just a sampling of assessments from male and female pros:— Sam Querrey: “His best trait is his mind.”— Maria Sakkari: “Novak is from a different planet. He seems to conserve his energy and know when to turn it up.”The latest to stand across the net from Djokovic was No. So which is tougher to overcome against Djokovic, the prowess of his body or his mind? “I’ve worked over the years to perfect my game so that my game can have literally no flaws.
wftv.comNo sign of Grand Slam drought ending soon for American men
The last American man to win a Grand Slam tournament was Andy Roddick at the U.S. Open in 2003, and there's no sign the drought will end anytime soon. “But I don’t see it being what it once was ever again.”AdOpelka, for one, isn’t surprised the United States has the same number of seeded men in Melbourne as, say, Bulgaria or Norway. The United States has four seeded women in Melbourne, including Kenin and Serena Williams. That’s a challenge, because those kids want to play basketball and football.”The United States Tennis Association has inner-city programs in more than 250 locations. Opelka (ranked 38th), Fritz (ranked 31st), Tommy Paul (53rd) and Frances Tiafoe (64th) are all 23 and good friends who root for each other.
Roger Federer: The power and presence of the $120 million man
Roger Federer after winning the final match against David Goffin during day 7 of the Noventi Open on June 23, 2019, in Halle, Germany. Roger Federer had just shattered his dreams in the 2009 Wimbledon final. "I don't think he's naive enough to say, 'Oh, I'm just another guy playing tennis,'" said Roddick. He's still saying hello to everyone in between points and he's able to kind of operate with this ease and calmness." Federer has said that when he does eventually retire, he doesn't want it to be a sad moment.