Paul's run to the semifinals of the Australian Open follows Frances Tiafoe's trip to the semifinals at the U.S. Open last SeptemberGetty Images
Tommy Paul's run to the semifinals of the Australian Open is “one of the many examples of the ways in which U.S. men are suddenly relevant again in tennis,” according to Howard Fendrich of the AP. This "breakthrough" for Paul “comes on the heels” of Frances Tiafoe's trip to the semifinals at the U.S. Open last September. This is the “first time U.S. men reached the final four at consecutive Slams in 16 years,” bringing more evidence that U.S. men's tennis players “must be taken more seriously.” Paul, Ben Shelton and Sebastian Korda “became the first trio of Americans in the men's quarterfinals in Melbourne since 2000.” Fendrich notes with Paul “set to crack the top 20 for the first time by the end of the Australian Open, and big jumps by others,” there are “projected to be 10 Americans in the ATP top 50 on Monday, something that last happened in June 1995.” Shelton: "I don't see why, at the end of this year, we couldn't have five, six guys in the top 20, with the way that some of these guys are playing” (AP, 1/26).
