What “gift” each American men's contender needs to get over the Grand Slam hump

The U.S. men's game is in excellent overall shape as the tours settle in for the two March 1000s. The ATP Top 100 is populated with 10 Americans, ranging from No. 10 Taylor Fritz to No. 95 J.J. Wolf. By contrast, Spain—renowned not very long ago for its tennis “armada”—has just five in that group.

But to many, U.S. men’s tennis represents a glass half full for lack of an active Grand Slam singles champion. American fans still struggle with the loss of something that, for a long time, they took for granted.

“Winning Grand Slams used to be an American birthright,” Brad Gilbert, ESPN analyst and elite coach told me. “But that’s just not the case anymore.”

Reality check complete.

I’m not gloom and doom. I am very hopeful for this group. Yes it can produce a Grand Slam winner. In fact I’d be surprised if it doesn’t. Those guys are right there, getting closer. And that’s a great thing. Brad Gilbert

The looming question becomes: Just what do the individual U.S. players lack? Approaching this question from a more narrow angle, I asked a handful of well-traveled commentators and coaches what “gift” they would give to five top-ranked Americans: Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton and Sebastian Korda—in order to get them over the Grand Slam hump. Making Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz disappear was not an option.

All agreed that the idea was somewhat unrealistic, but it proved a good jumping off point for seeking out missing links in each player’s game and areas where—diligent as they are—they might improve.

Many thanks to those who helped out: Jeff Sackman (the statistician/creator of the handy Tennis Abstract website), Patrick McEnroe (the ESPN analyst led the USTA Player Development program while the players in question were aspiring juniors), former ATP pro and Grand Slam doubles champion Luke Jensen, and Gilbert.

So let’s dive in, considering the players in order of ranking.

Taylor Fritz

• Current ranking: 10
• Grand Slam record: 40-30 (57% winning percentage)
• Best Grand Slam results: Since 2022, Fritz has made a quarterfinal at every major but Roland Garros

Fritz struggled for a long time with the unique challenges posed by the two-week, best-of-five set format at majors. Now 26, he did not reach the fourth-round at a Slam until his seventh year on tour. But in 2022 he emerged as the leader of the U.S. contingent and now ranks as its most prolific winner, with seven titles, including the prized Indian Wells Masters 1000.

“Week-in, week-out, Taylor Fritz has been the man,” Gilbert says.

A player of unsurpassed dedication and diligence, Fritz has positioned himself just below the second level of ATP stars that includes the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Here’s what the wise men had to say:

Sackmann: Fritz would need to move better in order to win a major.

Jensen: I’d give Taylor the ability to finish points at the net more quickly, and I’d like to see him develop that by playing more doubles.

It’s clear: the one thing Fritz needs is more speed, more athleticism. Whether he can gain enough of that to win a major is questionable, but if it doesn’t happen it won’t be for lack of effort. Patrick McEnroe

Gilbert: Taylor is 6'5" with a bomb of a serve and a big forehand, but he’s just not fleet-of-foot. He doesn’t move as well as some of the other tall guys, like Medvedev or (Alexander) Zverev, but he’s improved his offense and it has paid off.

Tommy Paul

• Current ranking: 14
• Grand Slam record: 24-18 (57.1% WP)
• Best Grand Slam result: semifinals, Australian Open 2023.

Paul, a 6'1" righthander, is something of a throwback, with the kind of good-looking game that never goes out of style. It’s a major source of Paul’s appeal to the cognoscenti—as well as a liability in today’s game. Paul is versatile, handsy, and quick—qualities that earned him the junior championship at Roland Garros nine years ago—but he lacks the size and some of the muscle and brute power of his higher-ranked rivals.

The same age as Fritz, Paul also was a slow learner in main-draw Grand Slam competition. Partly due to wavering dedication, he didn’t win his first main-draw match at a Slam until 2020. But he seems dedicated now, and his smooth game brings to mind a phrase used by Pete Sampras to describe Roger Federer: “He’s easy on the eyes.”

Sackmann: Paul needs bigger weapons all-around.

Jensen: I’d give him the ability to be more decisive when the key moment arrives in a set. Think of the way Federer would shift into a higher gear at those times.

McEnroe: It would help Tommy a lot if he had the kind of forehand or backhand that can break open a point with one shot. While he’s the best pure athlete in his age group and has a high tennis IQ, he lacks that major weapon you need to win a big one.

Gilbert: Tommy could use greater week-in, week-out consistency. It’s hard to say exactly what may be holding him back. He’s not big, but he serves well and that backhand is pretty darned good.

But you’re not measuring him against Fritz and Tiafoe, but against Alcaraz and Sinner. And that’s a whole other thing.

Frances Tiafoe

• Current ranking: 16
• Grand Slam record: 40-31 (56.3% WP)
• Best Grand Slam results: US Open semifinal (2022) and quarterfinal (2023)

Tiafoe, also 26, hit a career-high ranking of No. 10 last June. But his path became more complicated shortly thereafter, and the result was a reset of sorts. Tiafoe parted ways with the coach who orchestrated his success, Wayne Ferreira, and turned to a former coach of his, Diego Moyano.

The 2022 US Open remains a high-water mark for Tiafoe in more ways than one. He defeated Rafael Nadal enroute to the semis, but then lost a titanic five-set struggle to the eventual champ, Alcaraz. Just as important, perhaps, Tiafoe’s performance left him a celebrity with name recognition that extended far beyond tennis fans. That kind of status offers rich material rewards, but also many distractions.

Sackmann: Tiafoe could use a sturdier forehand.

Frances has to remember that in his situation, every Grand Slam match is like a final. He needs to learn to navigate the entire two-week, seven-match program. Luke Jensen

McEnroe: He needs to find that balance between being a shotmaker who makes things happen, and just reacting to the flow of play. That’s what produced his huge jump in 2022—better discipline, improved shot selection, and the willingness to hang in there, point after point.

Gilbert: Give him greater consistency, but keep in mind that if he had won the 2022 US Open—and he came darned close—we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

Ben Shelton

• Current ranking: 17
• Grand Slam record: 12-6, (67% WP)
• Best Grand Slam results: Australian Open quarterfinal and US Open semifinal, both in 2023.

Five years younger than the first three Americans in the discussion, Shelton forced his way into the conversation last year. Nothing in the 21-year-old's meteoric rise suggests that he lacks some essential ingredient to punch through as a Grand Slam champion. But a player of his age is still a work in progress. Shelton’s high ranking and burgeoning reputation will come under greater focus this season.

Jensen: He’s extremely coachable and hungry, and with all those weapons it will just take a little time to learn how to manage matches properly.

He has the firepower of a battleship and the athleticism of an Olympic sprinter.

McEnroe: He needs to be better at meat-and-potatoes tennis. He has the most pure weapons of the lot with that serve and forehand, but he needs to establish some patterns to his play in order to figure out what to do other than hit an ace at 4-all in the final set.

Gilbert: Shelton's serve and athleticism are huge weapons. I also like Alex Michelson (a 6'5", 19-year-old already ranked No. 76), who can be an elite mover on the same order as Tiafoe and Paul.

Sebastian Korda

• Current ranking: 33
• Grand Slam record: 18-13 (58% WP)
• Best Grand Slam result: quarterfinal at 2023 Australian Open.

The son of former Australian Open champion Petr Korda, Sebastian was to the manor born. He vaulted into the spotlight when he also won the Down Under Slam, albeit in the junior division, six years ago. Like Paul, Korda is highly regarded for his stylish game, but an ongoing struggle with injuries has impeded his progress.

Sackmann: He has the potential to win a major, but he’s wild from the baseline and still committing too many plus-one errors.

He needs to tighten up his game behind the serve—and that's the one suggestion I have that might be plausible to implement.

Jensen: I’d make him more of a battle-dog, because he has all of the weapons and poise to put together a seven-match run.

McEnroe: I’ve always felt he has the most upside, but he’s a little too finesse-y. He has to find a way to play his own way while also being more physical.

Gilbert: Another guy who stands 6'5", he’s real smooth but he could probably get stronger, beef up his serve, and figure out how to stay healthy.