Since the dawn of the Open era, American men’s tennis has moved like a relay: from Stan Smith and Arthur Ashe to Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, then the golden quartet of Michael Chang, Pete Sampras, Jim Courier, and Andre Agassi. After Sampras scripted his fairytale farewell at the 2002 US Open and Andy Roddick’s 2003 triumph, the torch dimmed. Twenty-two years later, the drought still lingers; no American man has lifted a Grand Slam since. Yet, as the ATP Finals race enters its 56th year, a new spark burns bright: Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton are reviving America’s long-lost roar, reigniting hope after a 19-year Finals absence.

Recently on the Tennis Channel, Steve Weissman sat down with Sam Querrey and Prakash Amritraj to dissect the unfolding ATP Finals race, highlighting the historic rise of Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton. Weissman set the stage: “We could have two Americans make The ATP Finals for the first time since 2006, when it was James Blake and Andy Roddick. What does that say to you?” Querrey leaned in, his voice charged with pride: “That just tells everyone, not just me, tells America.” The sentiment wasn’t mere hype; it was the affirmation of a new generation stepping into the spotlight.

Querrey expanded on the momentum building within American men’s tennis: “Like the American men we’ve been lagging behind the women for a little bit. But the American men with Fritz, with Shelton, with Tommy Paul, with Frances Tiafoe, and then the young guns coming up too.” The conversation shifted to rising talent Learner Tien, who recently reached the China Open final but fell to Jannik Sinner. “We’ve got Learner Tien, who we’re talking a lot about,” Querrey added, signaling that the depth of American talent is steadily growing.

The veteran then forecasted the near-future impact: “There’s a good group of American men. So we’ve got two this year, maybe three next year, maybe four, who knows. But we’ll take the two for now.” His words were both celebratory and pragmatic, acknowledging the current milestone while hinting at the broader promise for US tennis.

Amritraj highlighted the catalytic effect of breakthrough performances. “Every time someone has a big result, whether it’s Fritz beating Alcaraz, being able to get over that line or Ben coming out winning that 1000 level event in Summer, it gets the other guys a little bit better,” he said, referencing Fritz’s Laver Cup triumph over Alcaraz and Shelton’s Masters 1000 breakthrough in Toronto. He concluded with anticipation: “So can’t wait to see what happened in next six months.”

As the season reaches its climax, the numbers tell a story of hope. Taylor Fritz sits at 3,835 points in 5th position, while Ben Shelton holds 3,720 points in 6th, with Alex De Minaur and Lorenzo Musetti filling the 7th and 8th spots. Both Americans are now closing in on Turin, poised to end a 19-year drought. 

“It is the first time I have put myself in a good position at this point in the year to make Turin. Hopefully I get a couple more good results and get over the line,” Even Ben said on the ATP Tour’s website on September 30, underscoring his focus and ambition.

The grind now continues, but the dream is within reach, and a new American chapter is ready to be written. 

Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton suffer heartbreaking defeats at the Shanghai Masters

The American campaign at the Shanghai Masters has stumbled, particularly for the tournament’s top two seeds. After a month-long absence due to a painful injury, Ben Shelton returned to the court with determination, hoping to make a strong impact. Yet his third appearance in Shanghai didn’t go as planned. David Goffin overpowered the 22-year-old in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, advancing to the third round and leaving Shelton to regroup.

Taylor Fritz also faced heartbreak in Shanghai. Fresh off a final loss to Carlos Alcaraz at the Japan Open, Fritz entered the R32 to meet Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, known for his blistering speed. Though Fritz had previously defeated him on grass in July, this time Perricard had the upper hand, dismantling the American amid challenging conditions.

Perricard defeated Fritz in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, claiming his maiden top-10 victory and reaching the R16 of an ATP 1000 event for the first time. Fritz, like Shelton, now faces the task of bouncing back quickly to maintain momentum before the season finale.

Both Americans have shown flashes of brilliance throughout the year, but Shanghai exposed the fragility that comes with intense schedules and high expectations. For Shelton and Fritz, it’s a reminder that resilience, timing, and adaptation are as vital as skill on the court.

With the ATP Finals approaching, the hopes of American men’s tennis rest heavily on these two. Fans and pundits alike will be watching closely, wondering if Shelton and Fritz can channel lessons from Shanghai into a late-season surge and etch their names into the tournament’s history.