US Open - Americans Still In Contention As Big Four Roll

No major upsets have occurred among the Big Four (Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray) in the first week of the US Open, the last Grand Slam in the ATP season.

Now we are about to start the fourth round, with the winners making the quarterfinals.  Four Americans have made it this far which, sad to say, is the best that America has done since 2003.

• Mardy Fish - Still playing very well, but now times get very tough indeed.  If he manages to defeat his fourth round opponent, Jo-Wilifried Tsonga, he would most likely match up with Roger Federer in the quarterfinals.  Still, Fish is peaking at the right time and is most definitely the best chance for an American to reach the semifinals.

Photo: Barton Silverman/New York Times

• Andy Roddick - Has avoided the early-round upset that many feared (including me) from him; Has the most difficult matchup in the fourth round against David Ferrer; Could he catch on fire and make it a few more rounds? Yes, but it would take a major improvement in the way he's played all year.
• John Isner - A win in the fourth round against Gilles Simon, and Isner will have advanced further into a Grand Slam than he ever has. His serve gives him a shot against good competition, but if he advances and plays Murray, he'll need more than his big serve.
• Donald Young - By far, this is the best Grand Slam he's ever had. His five-set marathon match a few rounds ago seemed to have woken him up and gotten him to the next level of his game.   Young has the toughest match next, with Andy Murray as his opponent.  It's unlikely that Young would prevail, but certainly he'll have the New York crowd on his side.