John McEnroe Calls Lack Of American Tennis Success A ‘Problem'

Forbes

2 days ago

TOPSHOT - US Frances Tiafoe celebrates after winning his men's singles match against Germany's ... More Daniel Altmaier on day 8 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Suzanne-Lenglen at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 1, 2025. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)
After completing his fourth-round victory over Daniel Altmaier at Roland Garros, American Frances Tiafoe shouted to the crowd, 'Let's f--king go. Let's f--king go.'
Tiafoe and Tommy Paul are the first American men into the French Open quarterfinals since Andre Agassi in 2003 – and the first American duo since Pete Sampras beat Jim Courier in the quarters in 1996 -- but the question is: How far can they go?
No American man has won a major title since Andy Roddick at the U.S. Open in 2003, and no American man has won Roland Garros since Agassi in 1999.
'We got to get some American men to win some majors, and that would make it, to me, much more interesting if Tiafoe, Tommy Paul [can win]' John McEnroe said on a TNT call with reporters ahead of the tournament. 'We never had that problem with the women, but we certainly have it with the men, and I think that's been a real problem for us.'
Ben Shelton has been McEnroe's top pick to win a major for the American men, but if that happens it likely will be on a hardcourt. The big-serving left-hander from Atlanta reached the semifinals of the Australian Open this year, and of the U.S. Open in 2023.
Shelton lost to defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in four tough sets in the quarters at Roland Garros, and now No. 12 Paul will face No. 2 Alcaraz in the final eight. Alcaraz is 4-2 against Paul and won their only encounter on red clay in the quarters of the 2024 Paris Olympics, 6-3, 7-6(7).
On Sunday, Paul defeated Australian Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in 1 hour, 52 minutes, a much shorter time than he needed in five-set wins against Marton Fucsovics and Karen Khachanov.
"I'm enjoying it a lot," Paul said when asked about competing on clay. 'It was nice to get a straight-sets win today, give the body a little rest. I mean, as much as I love the five-setters, I definitely like the three-setters a little bit better. I am just excited for more matches.'
Paul has now reached the last eight at three of the four majors, advancing to the semifinals at the Australian Open in 2023 and the quarters at Wimbledon in 2024. The 28-year-old is just the ninth American man in the Open Era and only active American to advance to Grand Slam quarter on all three surfaces. He joins Agassi, Michael Chang, Jimmy Connors, Courier, Vitas Gerulaitis, Brian Gottfried, McEnroe and Sampras.
Tiafoe, meantime, beat Germany's Altmaier in straight sets and is the first American man since Agassi in 1995 to reach the quarters without dropping a set. He will face No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti on Tuesday.
Tiafoe's only close calls have been a first-set tiebreaker in his third-round match against fellow American Sebastian Korda and the third-set tiebreaker against Altmaier.
"I don't think anyone's really thinking that I would be in this position," Tiafoe said.
"But at the same time, now that I'm here, let's win. There's nothing more fun than winning. Once I get my feet going and the match is under me, I'm dangerous."
Tiafoe and Paul could potentially meet in an all-American semifinal, but clearly Musetti and Alcaraz will have something to say about that.
And until an American man is able to break through and win a Slam, it will continue to be a 'problem' for McEnroe.