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By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Twenty years in the past, Andy Roddick ignited main spark—and snark—within the younger Tommy Paul.
In a tense Australian quarterfinal conflict of American buddies, Paul defeated 20-year-old Ben Shelton to achieve his first main semifinal in his 14th Grand Slam look.
More: Djokovic Owns Americans And Values Their Resurgence
Usually ignored, Paul is snug because the underdog dealing with former world No. 1 Novak Djokovic as each hunt historical past. Djokovic is chasing his twenty second Grand Slam title to equal rival Rafael Nadal’s males’s main mark, whereas Paul performs to grow to be the primary American man since Andre Agassi in 2003 to advance to the AO ultimate.
Fittingly, Paul is the primary American man to achieve the ultimate 4 at Melbourne Park since Andy Roddick in 2009.
That is as a result of the younger Tommy Paul was impressed by Roddick’s run to the 2003 US Open championship that noticed him take down David Nalbandian and Juan Carlos Ferrero in succession to observe Pete Sampras because the second straight American man to rule Flushing Meadows.
Driving the excessive of Roddick’s US Open win, the younger Paul wrote Roddick off as a significant contender when the American No. 1, who gained the Open carrying Reebok, together with a shirt that evoked wide-spread comparisons to the New York Metropolis subway could, switched to Lacoste.
When Roddick went full crocodile clothes, he jumped the shark as a significant contender within the eyes of a seven-year-old Paul.
“We had the posters of him when he gained in his Reebok match. I used to be truly salty when he switched to Lacoste,” New Stability endorser Paul recalled. “I used to be like, He isn’t going to win one other slam now. I assumed it was the outfits…
“It was undoubtedly one thing that I bear in mind, Roddick successful the US Open.”
Former world No. 1 Roddick stays the final American man to lift a Grand Slam singles trophy.
Now, Paul is making main strides of his personal in Melbourne Park—and persevering with a current American anthem.
The Thirty fifth-ranked Paul’s main breakthrough comes fourth months after buddy Frances Tiafoe toppled Rafael Nadal en path to his maiden main semifinal on the US Open.
Echoes of Roddick’s US Open run have echoed within the ears of younger American execs since their junior days.
Tuning into probably the most dynamic tennis of his profession, Paul says rising younger U.S. stars are aiming to place American tennis again on the most important map 20 years after Roddick’s triumph.
“It is essential to me. American tennis is, since I used to be younger, that is all we have been listening to, since like 14 years outdated,” Paul mentioned. “The coaches have been telling us, We’d like new People, we’d like new People. It is type of engraved in my head.
“All of us need to carry out. Clearly Frances was fairly rattling shut at US Open to getting previous the semis. Who is aware of what would have occurred within the finals. Yeah, I imply, I feel all of us need it fairly dangerous for ourselves, however we would like it for U.S. tennis, too.”
The American anthem have made a mark in Melbourne Park. The explosive Shelton superior to his maiden main quarterfinal in his first journey exterior of the US in an electrifying run that may carry him to a career-high rating of No. 43.
U.S. males upset the High 2 AO seeds with Mackenzie McDonald beautiful defending champion Nadal and Jenson Brooksby befuddling second-seeded Casper Ruud.
Former Ohio State all American JJ Wolf delivered a career-best fourth-round run earlier than bowing to Shelton.
Sebastian Korda, who held a championship level in opposition to Djokovic within the Adelaide Worldwide 1 ultimate earlier this month, strengthened his status as a real Grand Slam title contender dismissing former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev earlier than preventing off Hubert Hurkacz in a dramatic fifth-set tiebreaker in spherical 4. Korda injured his wrist and retired down two units to Karen Khachanov within the quarterfinals.
For the primary time since 2004, 4 American males—Paul, Shelton, Korda and Wolf—reached the spherical of 16 in Melbourne.
The celebs and stripes are flying excessive within the ATP dwell rankings. At present 10 of the world’s Top 50-ranked men within the ATP Reside Rankings are American: No. 8 Taylor Fritz, No. 15 Frances Tiafoe, No. 19 Tommy Paul, No. 26 Sebastian Korda, No. 38 Jenson Brooksby, No. 41 John Isner, No. 43 Ben Shelton, No. 47 JJ Wolf, No. 48 Reilly Opelka and No. 49 Brandon Nakashima, who misplaced to McDonald within the opening spherical.
Enjoying his first main semifinal, Paul faces arguably the largest Grand Slam problem exterior of confronting Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros: defeating Djokovic on Rod Laver Enviornment the place he has not misplaced for the reason that 2018 fourth spherical.
9-time AO champion Djokovic is using a 26-match AO successful streak and has gained 26 in a row in opposition to American opponents.
Nonetheless, Paul, views his first assembly with 21-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic as main alternative and good enjoyable.
“Clearly he is fairly snug right here in Australia. It’ll be a difficult match,” Paul mentioned. “However I am enjoying a few of my greatest tennis, so it is a good time.”
Accustomed to being ignored on the outer courts, Paul is worked up to step on this main stage.
“I have been on the surface courts grinding till the spherical of 16. I feel I have been flying beneath the radar just a little bit,” Paul mentioned. “I imply, it is arduous to not fly beneath the radar if you’re out within the park, you realize.”
Photograph credit score: Getty
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