Ben Shelton helps deliver US Open milestone for American men

Ben Shelton has helped create a milestone for American men’s tennis at the US Open, with three players reaching the quarterfinals for the first time since 2003.

The 23-year-old defeated Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in three sets in just under two hours. Shelton joins Frances Tiafoe and Alex Michelsen among the final eight, while Tiafoe and Michelsen will meet in an all-American quarterfinal.

The United States could have four men in the quarterfinals if 20-year-old Learner Tien defeats Karen Khachanov and lives up to his status as the favorite. Five American men reached the round of 16 this year, the most at a Grand Slam tournament since 1995.

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We play so much outside the United States, of course very often in Europe. The sport is very international, so when we play in front of friends, family and all the people we love, it is fantastic.

That year, eight American men reached the round of 16 at the US Open and five advanced to the quarterfinals: Patrick McEnroe, Jim Courier, Michael Chang, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras. Three reached the semifinals, and Sampras defeated Agassi in the final.

American men have won several titles since then, but Andy Roddick’s 2003 US Open triumph remains the country’s most recent men’s singles Grand Slam victory. In the women’s draw, Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro have reached the quarterfinals, with either Iva Jovic or Coco Gauff set to join them. That achievement is less unusual, as Gauff and Madison Keys won last year’s Australian Open and French Open, respectively.

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They do not see us that much, so we want to put on a show for them.