American Tennis Making History at Australian Open

Six Americans – four women and two men – will compete in the singles quarterfinals at the Australian Open in Melbourne. It’s been a stunning, historical week and a half for the Americans, buoyed by the women, who entered the tournament with four Top 10 seeds. Three – Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula – reached the quarterfinals, and a surprising run from Iva Jovic, 18 years old and seeded 29th, takes the number of women’s singles quarterfinalists to four.

That’s the most American women’s singles quarterfinalist in Melbourne since 2001 (Jennifer Capriati, Lindsay Davenport, Monica Seles, Serena Williams, Venus Williams). Gauff, 21, and Jovic are the first pair of Americans to reach the quarterfinals of the same major before turning 22 since Serena and Venus Williams did so at Roland-Garros in 2002!

Anisimova, who has won 16 or her last 18 matches at the majors, has been impressed with the youngest American to reach the quarterfinals.

“You can really see the focus in her eyes when she’s playing,” she said of Jovic. “She’s been very, very impressive. Yeah, I’m really looking forward to watching more of her matches.”

On the men’s side, youth springs eternal as well, as 20-year-old Learner Tien, who reached the round of 16 as a 19-year-old last year, has powered into his first major quarterfinal. Tien is the youngest Australian Open men’s singles quarterfinalist since Nick Kyrgios in 2015, and the youngest American to reach a major quarterfinal since Andy Roddick in 2002. The Irvine, California native is joined by 23-year-old Ben Shelton in the last eight. Shelton, a two-time major quarterfinalist, now boasts a career record of 36-13 at the majors.

Shelton will square off with second-seeded Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals, while Tien faces third-seeded Alexander Zverev.

“I’ve just been really excited seeing Learner and Iva Jovic,” Shelton told reporters on Day 9 after his win over Casper Ruud. “Iva trains in Orlando where I’m at. Learner doesn’t. But just seeing the progress that he’s made. Gosh, I guess I used to think of him as a little guy. He’s not little anymore, and he’s playing some serious ball. So I’m really excited.”

Three Americans will play their quarterfinals on Day 10, with Jovic going against world No.1 Sabalenka first on Rod Laver Arena, followed by Tien vs Zverev. The night session features two-time Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff vs 12th-seeded Elina Svitolina.