American mens good opportunity to end 23-year Grand Slam drought at US Open has only gotten better

In this U.S.Open, the top stars keep going down.

And the American men’s hopes keep going up. Third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime was the latest to fall by the wayside, Karen Khachanov handing him a one-sided, second-round caning, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.It was a lousy blow for the ailing Canadian, but lucky for the troop of Americans. Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe lead a quintet of top 20 men still alive and out to snap the USA’s 23-year titleless drought in Grand Slams.

The path is suddenly opening before their feet, with Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and now Auger-Aliassime cleared out of the way. “Obviously it’s a good opportunity for the Americans,” Fritz said.“Not because the draw is opening, just because there’s a lot of guys that are at that level and can play at that level.

When you look … none of that affects me until I’m in the semis or the finals.I’d never play any of those guys earlier than that, so there’s no reason to have a different mentality than I normally would. “If I can take it one match at a time and get to that point in the draw, then it’s like, ‘nice, I don’t need to play this person.’ I have a little more of an opportunity at that point.

But the opportunity doesn’t really exist until deep, deep into the tournament.So I need to worry about getting myself to that point before I start putting extra pressure on myself, like ‘it’s more open, I have more of a chance.’ Because the rest of the tournament, up until that point, it’s the same as it always is.” To be clear, no Slam is simple, and no championship comes cheap.

Fritz knows that better than most, the last American man to make a major final — falling to Sinner in Flushing Meadows two years ago. But the road to winning their home Slam is now littered on both sides with upset victims and casualties. Sinner, the world No.1, is sidelined with a knee injury.

Djokovic, the greatest of all time, was eliminated in the opening round....