American Grand Slam Hopes Dashed at Wimbledon

Sock weighs in on the future of U.S. men’s tennis

The quest for an American man to win a Grand Slam title continues after Taylor Fritz fell to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon semi-finals. The loss extends a 22-year drought for U.S. men at the majors.

Fritz’s Wimbledon Run Ends

Fritz‘s bid concluded on Centre Court after a defeat by Alcaraz. He came within a single point of forcing a fifth set against the defending champion. He was the last American male remaining in the tournament after Ben Shelton‘s exit.

Both Fritz and Shelton had impressive runs at Wimbledon this year, but both were defeated by top-ranked players. Shelton lost to Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals.

Sock’s Perspective

After Fritz’s defeat, former player and fellow American, Jack Sock, shared his opinion on which U.S. player has the best chance of winning a Grand Slam in the future.

On the ‘Nothing Major’ podcast, Sock stated, “I think Taylor is still the front runner there. I mean, he finalled the US Open last year.”

Sock continued, “He is now in the semis of Wimbledon. That’s not one you can hang your hat on for him at all. I thought he played great and had his chances.

“He had the back-to-back forehands [in the fourth set], I think there was a little tightness on one and then the next one, he leaned back and shanked a forehand, which he doesn’t usually do.

“But going into each slam, I think he will be the favourite American for a while.” Sock concluded.

Grand Slam Performances

Both Fritz and Shelton have reached at least the semi-final stage of a Grand Slam tournament. Their best results thus far are summarized below:

Before Wimbledon, Fritz reached the US Open final in 2024, losing to Sinner. Shelton reached the semi-finals at the US Open in 2023 and the Australian Open earlier this year.

Alongside Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul, Fritz and Shelton represent America’s best chances at securing a major title in the years ahead.