The next generation: US tennis stars of the future

In recent years, the US flag has been flown at the top level of tennis by Women's Tennis Association (WTA) stars. Venus and Serena Williams are of course at the top of that list, but Cori Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Sofia Kenin and Jennifer Brady have all broken through to the top 25 of the WTA. At the time of writing, there are eight US players ranked in the top 50 on the WTA Tour.

Yet at the same time, US players have not had the same impact on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour. There are no US men inside the top 20 of the ATP rankings. Tennis betting fans checking out the latest odds on next year’s first Grand Slam event, the Australian Open, will find no US names among the favorites.

This is not a recent phenomenon. In fact, the impact of US competitors in men’s tennis has been on the decline since the early 2000s. Since the retirement of Andy Roddick in 2012, there has not been a regular Grand Slam challenger from the US.

It wasn’t always like this. In the opening years of the Open era, it was Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe who flew the flag, capturing the imagination of global tennis audiences with their aggressive showmanship and devastating skills. When Connors and McEnroe declined, it was the turn of Andre Agassi, then Peter Sampras, Michael Chang and Jim Courier to take over.

Between them, Chang, Sampras, Agassi and Courier won 27 Grand Slam titles between 1989 and 2002, which puts them on par with the Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray generation. That success seems like a long time ago, however, and the last US man to claim a Grand Slam title was Andy Roddick, back in 2003.

Yet going into 2022, there are clear signs that the drought may be coming to an end. A cohort of young, talented US men are beginning to make an impact on the ATP Tour and threatening to establish a new generational dominance as the 2020s progress.

Taylor Fritz

The first of the fab five to consider is Taylor Fritz. Ranked as the number one Juniors player in the world in 2015, Fritz ended his Junior year winning the US Open and has been steadily climbing up the rankings ever since. Brad Gilbert has compared Fritz to another former player, Todd Martin, who had similar attributes, using his 6’4” height to deliver powerful serves and to patrol the baseline. In 2021, Fritz was able to reach the third round of the Australian Open and Wimbledon and the semi-finals at Indian Wells.

Frances Tiafoe

The most exciting of the five potential stars, Tiafoe is blessed with an all-court game and supreme athleticism. He also has an explosive edge to his play. Like many of the best US players, he plays with tremendous confidence and audacity. He has won seven ITF titles, has twice reached the fourth round of the US Open, and clearly has the temperament to reach the highest level.

Tommy Paul

A rival to Taylor Fritz as a Junior, sharing a Grand Slam apiece, Paul made his breakthrough in November this year, winning the Stockholm Open – beating Fritz and Tiafoe in the process. Unusual for a US player, he seems to be at his best on clay. That ability to thrive on the slowest surface, combined with his laid-back mentality and coolness under pressure, mark him as the type of player who could remain at the top of the ATP Tour for many years.

Michael Mmoh

A contemporary of Fritz and Tiafoe, Mmoh was ranked second behind Fritz as a Junior. Although his career has stalled to an extent, time is on his side. One of the most exciting young players to emerge in the US in recent years, Mmoh has astonishing shot-making skills, and plenty of speed. His flamboyant style has been compared to Gale Monfils.

Sebastian Korda

This 20-year-old has impeccable family credentials, as both his parents plied their trade at the top of the tennis world. The first indication of his potential on the big stage came in 2020 when he reached the fourth round of the French Open. He has built on that in 2021, breaking into the top 40 and winning his first ATP event. In 2020, Korda spoke of a five-year plan to compete at the highest level, but he seems to be ahead of schedule and is another player to watch in 2022.

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