American Emma Navarro reached her first Grand Slam semifinal and will move into the top 10 for the first time.
American Taylor Fritz reached his first Grand Slam semifinal and is on the brink of returning to the top 10.
The chances of a U.S. streak remaining intact were boosted by Navarro and Fritz’s wins in the U.S. Open quarterfinals on Tuesday.
In every previous year in the modern professional era, at least one American singles player made a Grand Slam final. It hasn’t happened yet in 2024 through three Slams.
U.S. OPEN DRAWS: Women | Men | Order of Play
The U.S. Open is the last chance, and four Americans are still in the singles draws: Navarro and Fritz, plus Jessica Pegula and Frances Tiafoe, who play later quarterfinals.
Navarro, who had one Grand Slam match win before this year, continued a breakout season by beating Paula Badosa of Spain 6-2, 7-5 on Tuesday. She rallied from 5-1 down in the second set.
Navarro, 23 years old and the No. 13 seed, gets No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in Thursday’s semifinals. Sabalenka, who routed No. 7 Zheng Qinwen 6-1, 6-2 on Tuesday night, lost to Navarro at Indian Wells in March and beat Navarro at the French Open in May.
Navarro won the 2021 NCAA singles title for Virginia and began her professional career after the 2022 NCAA season.
She started 2023 ranked No. 143 in the world, played 88 matches that year, mostly at lower levels and in qualifying, and finished it at No. 38.
In 2024, she reached the Australian Open third round and French Open fourth round and qualified for the four-woman U.S. Olympic team.
Then she made the Wimbledon quarterfinals, beating Coco Gauff in the fourth round both at the All England Club and at the U.S. Open.
“I’m at the point of my career where I’m not scared of any result or making a run in any tournament,” Navarro said on court after Tuesday’s victory.
Fritz, 26 years old and the No. 12 seed, ousted No. 4 Alexander Zverev 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3) for his first win in five career Slam quarterfinals.
“I’ve had a lot of looks at quarterfinals over the past couple years,” Fritz said in an on-court interview. “Today just felt different. I really felt like it was my time to take it a step further. I mean, it’s only fitting I’m doing it here on this court at the Open.”
He gets No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov or No. 20 Tiafoe in Friday’s semifinals. If it’s Tiafoe, it will be the first all-American men’s semifinal at any Slam since Andre Agassi beat Robby Ginepri at the 2005 U.S. Open.
By many stats, Fritz is the most successful U.S. men’s singles player since Andy Roddick, the last American man to win a Slam at the 2003 U.S. Open: by ranking (career-high No. 5 last year). By Slam results (five quarterfinals is the most by any American man in 15 years). By most prestigious title: Indian Wells, considered by many tennis’ fifth major, in 2022.
Fritz can add another one with a victory in his next match: the first American man to make a Grand Slam final since Roddick at 2009 Wimbledon.
