Waiting for an American man to win a Grand Slam title, something that hasn’t happened since 2003, might feel like a useless exercise considering the near–unbreakable grip of the Big Four on men’s tennis. But Sam Querrey, a 29-year-old tour veteran from California, has a surprisingly good chance to end that drought this week at the U.S. Open.
Other American men, like John Isner and Jack Sock, have received more attention over the years. Even after Querrey stunned then-invincible Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon in 2016, he wouldn’t have been your first choice to break the dry spell. Even after reaching the semifinal at Wimbledon this year, Querrey was considered a serious contender to actually win a major.