Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Sebastian Korda make merry as American Flag continues to fly high at the 2023 Australian Open
With Americans enjoying a great time Down Under this year, can the drought for an American Grand Slam title winner finally end is the question for many.
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Coco Gauff, Sebastian Korda, Jessica Pegula
Day 5 of the 2023 Australian Open once again saw American players picking up big wins. The day for the Yanks started with Jessica Pegula racing past Marta Kostyuk with a 6-0, 6-2 win in 65 minutes. Coco Gauff built on the start but it came at the expense of her compatriot Bernarda Pera as the teen won 6-3, 6-2.
The afternoon in Melbourne was a bit difficult for the Americans. Last year’s women’s singles runner-up Danielle Collins fell to Elena Rybakina in three sets. An unfit Mackenzie McDonald suffered a similar fate against Yoshihito Nishioka while Frances Tiafoe was taken down by a spirited Karen Khachanov in four sets.
The evening session started with two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka knocking out Maddison Keys in three sets. With spirits down, Sebastian Korda came to the rescue as he took down runner-up of the last two editions of the Australian Open and former World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in straight sets.
Six more Americans are scheduled to play their third-round matches on Day 6. Two of them will be all-American where Tommy Paul and Jenson Brooksby lock horns. J.J. Wolf and Michael Mmoh clash in another match. Of the six, at least two more Americans will be heading into the fourth round.
The fall of Americans since the turn of the century
While many players exited in the first week, back at the USTA, the board will be happy with the progress. The American Davis Cup team last won the coveted ‘World Cup’ of tennis in 2007. Since then, they haven’t made another final. At the BJK Cup, formerly the Fed Cup, the ladies met a similar fate.
After winning the title in 2000, the American ladies did not win another one till 2017. Even the Williams Sisters failed to bring the trophy home despite unparalleled success in the Olympics. They still lead the charts with 32 Davis Cup titles and 18 BJK Cup titles. But that doesn’t mean the hunger for more titles has ended.
Once the most formidable teams, the Americans were seen as leaders in the sport. The generation of Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, and John McEnroe inspired the likes of Ivan Lendl and Jim Courier. Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi rose in the nineties and took the Tour by storm. While Andy Roddick tried to keep the flag flying high, the Big-4 did not let it flutter much.
In the WTA Tour, the situation was no different. Billie Jean King paved the way for Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Pam Shriver, and Tracy Austin. The reins were then handed over to Monica Seles (US citizen since 1994) while the likes of Lindsay Davenport and Jennifer Capriati also chipped in. With the rise of Venus and Serena Williams, the Stars and Stripes were on top.
Can the new batch finally end the drought
While many talented players have come since then, none has been able to stand true to the legacy of the stars of yesteryear. Things might just be changing, however. Taylor Fritz on the ATP Tour and Jessica Pegula on the WTA Tour are the highest-ranked Americans at present. Both players were instrumental in their nation’s win at the inaugural 2023 United Cup.
The win at the United Cup surely raised the spirits in the American camp and it is reflecting at the Melbourne Park as well. Mackenzie McDonald, despite injury, took down defending champion Rafael Nadal who was himself injured. Taking nothing away from McDonald. Jenson Brooskby showed the exit door to second-seeded Casper Ruud in four sets, notching his biggest career win.
This year’s Grand Slam in Melbourne has already seen Americans breaking their personal records. Since 1996, eight Americans featured in the third round of men’s singles. Of those, Korda is confirmed while at least two more will join him. In women’s singles, Gauff and Pegula are through to the fourth round while Katie Volynets can still join her compatriots.
With a brilliant start at the United Cup, all eyes will be on the American teams at the Davis Cup and BJK Cup. Talent and potential are definitely there. The men proved their prowess at the 2022 Laver Cup as well, spoiling Roger Federer‘s farewell. The question still remains, can the American brigade light up the season this year.
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Sarthak Shitole
(3462 Articles Published)