It would not be at all surprising if this year’s US Open Men’s Singles final featured Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
After all, Sinner and Alcaraz combined have won the last seven Men’s Singles Grand Slams, with Novak Djokovic being the last outlier at the 2023 US Open.
However, there is a strong American contingent hoping to break Alcaraz and Sinner’s streak at the 2025 US Open. Of the 32 US Open seeds in the draw at the start of the tournament, six were American.
Taylor Fritz came agonisingly close to winning the US Open title last year. However, he lost to Jannik Sinner in the final in straight sets.
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John McEnroe, who won the US Open Men’s Singles title four times, has picked the American player he believes is most likely to challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner moving forward.
John McEnroe picks Ben Shelton as the American who is most likely to challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
Ben Shelton will be hoping to continue his recent good form in the US Open second round on Wednesday evening.
The American has been in scintillating form as of late, capturing his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open and breaking into the top 10.
Shelton forms part of a strong American collective – including Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe – hoping to end the 22-year wait for an American male Grand Slam singles champion.
John McEnroe, an eight-time Grand Slam champion who battled the likes of Bjorn Borg during his playing career, has picked Shelton as the most likely player to challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at the top of the tennis tree.
During ESPN’s US Open coverage on Wednesday, McEnroe said: “My guy would be Ben Shelton. I think he has got an incredible attitude, the personality, and he has the game to back it up.
“I love his story. He played other sports. I have been preaching that at my academy for years. He went to college to mature a little bit. This guy was number five on his team in Freshman year. He won the NCAA’s as a sophomore.
“It is happening slowly but surely. He is a way better player than he was when he joined the tour.
“He is a threat. He has lost to these guys: he lost to Alcaraz at the French and Sinner in Australia. But he realises that there is a gap and a way to go, but he is getting closer.
“If I had to pick one guy who is American, it would be him.”
Ben Shelton faces a former US Open semi-finalist in the second round
Ben Shelton’s second-round opponent at the US Open has prior success at the tournament.
Shelton, who defeated Peru’s Ignacio Buse in round one, will play Pablo Carreño Busta in the US Open second round.
Five years ago, the Spaniard reached the semi-final stage and was just one set away from reaching his first Grand Slam final against Alexander Zverev.
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Carreño Busta was two sets to love up against Zverev, before going on to lose 6-3 6-2 3-6 4-6 3-6.
Shelton and Carreño Busta have faced off once previously on the ATP Tour. In the second round of the 2025 Australian Open, Shelton defeated his Spanish opponent 6-3 6-3 6-7 6-4.