The Pulse: A broad snapshot of sports news and notes across tennis, football and more
As the US Open nears at Flushing Meadows, attention is squarely on when, if at all, a first American man will finally grab a Grand Slam in this era dominated by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Last year’s tournament offered a reminder of the slow crawl back for the U.S. men: no American man had won a Slam since Andy Roddick at this event in 2003, while American women had secured only three titles since Serena Williams’s 2017 breakthrough. A year ago, two American men—Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe—made a run to the semifinals, and the women’s side also featured American contenders, but in the end both titles went to Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka respectively.
This season has been kinder to American women. Madison Keys captured the Australian Open title, Coco Gauff added a second major at the French Open, and Amanda Anisimova reached the Wimbledon final before a lopsided loss to Iga Świątek. The trend line for the U.S. women is clear: they’re rising, and the momentum is real.
On the men’s side, the ceiling remains high for young Americans, but the path to a Slam still runs through Sinner and Alcaraz. Current top American names like Fritz and Ben Shelton are loading up competitive resumes—Shelton, in particular, is tracking as a potential breakthrough candidate, with his age and rapid improvement potentially aligning with a peak window in the mid- to late-20s.
Tennis staff at The Athletic weighed in on when an American man might win again and who could do it. Matthew Futterman bets on Ben Shelton someday winning between now and the end of 2027, arguing that Shelton’s progress is accelerating and his ceiling remains unknown. Charlie Eccleshare, meanwhile, projects Shelton to win in 2028, noting that Shelton will be hitting his prime as Sinner and Alcaraz aren’t guaranteed to stay on their current pedestal. Sam Settleman takes a broader view, suggesting someone not yet on the radar could surprise, while acknowledging the long odds of breaking through with the current duo’s dominance. The takeaway: Shelton looks like the most plausible current candidate among Americans, but the door remains open for a surprise breakout.
The broader sports agenda this week also includes notable trades and headlines outside the tennis world. Washington’s Commanders shipped running back Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers for a sixth-round draft pick. The move reshapes Washington’s backfield while potentially upgrading San Francisco’s rotation behind Christian McCaffrey. In other news, Malik Beasley has been cleared in a Department of Justice investigation into sports gambling by players, a development that could keep him in play on the NBA market after the Pistons reportedly expressed interest before retracting an offer.
What to watch this week
– In football, the weekend slate features Manchester City vs. Tottenham in the Premier League, with both teams aiming to build momentum after strong season openings. In college football, No. 22 Iowa State visits No. 17 Kansas State in a matchup that could influence the Big 12’s playoff picture. The NFL’s final week of the preseason includes Browns vs. Rams, with intriguing quarterback rotations on display.
– On the tennis front, all eyes are on the US Open draw, the early rounds, and which American players might finally puncture the global hegemony of the sport’s current stars.
Pulse picks and quick reads
– A note on the broader media landscape as Lee Corso prepares to retire from College GameDay, with colleagues sharing favorite stories about the long-running show and its impact on college football.
– A reminder that the US Open draw has people mixing cocktails with theme vibes—a playful detail for fans and a nod to the social side of tournament week.
– A slate of quick reads and recommendations from across The Athletic, ranging from features on two high school football players tied by a decades-spanning bond to insights on the latest trends in analytics and sports culture.
Summary
This edition blends a forward-looking tennis outlook with timely NFL and NBA news, plus practical weekend viewing guides. The central thread is optimism about American tennis talent, especially the potential breakout of Ben Shelton, set against the continuing dominance of Sinner and Alcaraz. The broader sports calendar is busy, with meaningful moves in football and intriguing headlines around gambling investigations and media retirements adding texture to a busy period for sports fans.
A hopeful note
There’s reason for cautious optimism in American tennis: the women have established a strong, rising trajectory, and a young American like Shelton could accelerate a new chapter for the men if his development continues on its current fast track. In the nearer term, the sport’s biggest stages—the US Open and the early-season major showdowns—will offer the first clear indicators of whether American men can finally bridge that two-decade gap.
Additional value
– Readers may want to keep an eye on Shelton’s matchups in the coming months, especially against rising peers, to gauge how quickly his game translates to Slam-level pressure.
– For fantasy and sports betting enthusiasts, the Beasley development and the Commanders’ depth chart changes could have implications for value in NFL and NBA markets as rosters settle.
If you’d like, I can also produce a shorter summary for social media or tailor a version focused more tightly on tennis developments or the NFL news.