PARIS — When North Carolina’s Tommy Paul beat San Diego’s Taylor Harry Fritz, 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-2, Saturday in the first all-American boys’ final at the French Open, it formally ended a tournament in which the future of United States men’s tennis had already been declared the unanimous winner.
A third American, Michael Mmoh, had lost to Paul in the semifinals. A fourth, Reilly Opelka, 6 feet 10 ½ inches-and still growing, lost to Mmoh in the quarterfinals after beating top-seeded Orlando Luz of Brazil in the third round.
As Opelka (wearing a “U-$-A” hat) watched his two friends and training partners play for the title, he marveled at the depth of the crop of young Americans that he belongs to.