But since Andy Roddick clinched the 2003 US Open title, no male player from the America has lifted a Grand Slam title.

But the current crop of players, featuring the likes of Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, have come close to winning a major in recent times, and they will continue to apply the pressure.

Ben Shelton fires warning to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz about American tennis

Shelton is one of the brightest young stars on the ATP Tour and is carrying the hopes of American men’s tennis into the future. He does so with the likes of US number one Fritz, 27, Tiafoe, 26, and Tommy Paul, 27, and Seb Korda, 24.

Each of these players are ranked inside the top 25 and Fritz made some strides in 2024 by returning to the top 10 and reaching his first Grand Slam final at the US Open in September.

As a collective, for the first time in quite some time, US tennis looks poised to break through at the Grand Slam level.

This is something Shelton alluded to after losing to Carlos Alcaraz in their exhibition match at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Sending a warning to the Spaniard and Jannik Sinner, the frontrunners in tennis’ new era, Shelton told Tennis Channel: “The American group that we have coming through is doing better and better things every year.

“You guys saw Taylor Fritz in the finals of the US Open this year, you saw Francis also in the semi-finals, I was in the semi-finals last year and uh I think that we’re continuing to improve. We got some Spaniards and Italians to chase out in front of us and we’re coming, we’re definitely coming.”

Carlos Alcaraz defeats Ben Shelton in New York exhibition contest

Alcaraz and Shelton spent some time in their offseason contesting one of the first tennis matches to take place at New York’s Madison Square Garden in six years.

The sold-out crowd was thoroughly entertained by the action on court, as a match tiebreak was needed to separate them.

Shelton won the first set, before Alcaraz proceeded to win the second set and send the match into a deciding set tiebreak. It was Alcaraz who prevailed 4-6, 6-2, 10-7 and lifted a gold trophy during the post-match ceremony.

“For me it’s a huge privilege playing at Madison Square Garden. I know that all the singers, all the big artists want to perform here,” Alcaraz said after arriving in New York.

“So for me, to have the chance to play a tennis match and put my name among tennis players that have played in that arena, for me it’s unique.”

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