Despite the absence of Venus and Serena Williams from the United States Open in 2021, the American contingent appeared to be strong enough. However, none of the male or female American tennis players advanced to the quarterfinals of the singles event.
It’s worth noting that this is the first time this has happened in the US Open’s century-long history.
Apart from the Williams sisters, the injury withdrawals of Sofia Kenin and Jennifer Brady impacted the American lineup as well. Shelby Rogers faced 18-year-old Emma Raducanu in the last round, while Jenson Brooksby faced World No. 1 Novak Djokovic.
US Open 2021 game for other American players
Without a doubt, Venus and Serena have built a brand for American tennis around the world on their own. They have a total of eight US Open titles, with Venus having two and Serena six. As a result, their absence was dearly felt.
When Shelby Rogers upset World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, though, the American fans’ spirits were lifted. Not to mention how zealously the fans cheered for local players in order to trigger major upsets in the tournament. The crowd deserves a lot of credit for Frances Tiafoe‘s fifth-set victory over Andrey Rublev. Here, it was obvious to see that they put their energies in going against the Russian Rublev.
He hit em with the @KingJames! ?@FTiafoe was on another LEVEL tonight. pic.twitter.com/dNsPEcHZOy
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 4, 2021
Rogers was finally defeated by Emma Raducanu, a first-time main draw entrant in New York. As a result, all American hope rested on Jenson Brooksby, a 20-year-old. Surprisingly, the motivated American defeated Novak Djokovic 6-1 in the first set. Indeed, the crowd’s tremendous energy gave him the confidence to push his own limits. However, it was short-lived and Djokovic soon came into his own to take the match 3 sets to 1.
This is WILD:
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) September 7, 2021
Defeat for Jenson Brooksby means that for the first time in history there will be no American singles player, male or female, in either the quarterfinals or the semi-finals of the #USOpen.
No American singles player remains in the main draw after Brooksby’s departure. It may reduce the number of viewers and audience capacity during the tournament’s most vital stages.
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