By D`Arcy Maine
Overview
The 2025 tennis season has showcased strong performances from American players. Madison Keys started the year with a title at the Australian Open, followed by Coco Gauff`s victory at the French Open. Eight Americans reached the round of 16 at Roland Garros, the highest number in 40 years. Additionally, three American men (Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton) recently featured in the top 10 rankings for the first time since 2006, while four American women (Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Keys, and Emma Navarro) currently hold top 10 spots.
Despite these successes and a large contingent of 35 Americans in the main draw at Wimbledon – the most since 1999 – the tournament`s first week proved challenging. Marked by numerous upsets, including early exits for high seeds like No. 2 Gauff and No. 3 Pegula, only four American players remain heading into the fourth round.
An American hasn`t claimed a singles title at Wimbledon since Serena Williams in 2016 for the women and Pete Sampras in 2000 for the men. The remaining players carry the hopes of ending this drought. Here are the Americans still in the draw and how they reached this stage.
Women
No. 10 Emma Navarro
Victories so far: Petra Kvitova, Veronika Kudermetova, No. 17 Barbora Krejcikova
Next match: No. 7 Mirra Andreeva
A year after stunning Gauff en route to her first major quarterfinal at Wimbledon, the 24-year-old Navarro has become a familiar face in the latter stages of Grand Slams, having reached the US Open quarterfinals and Australian Open semifinals since. Despite a modest grass record (4-3) this season before Wimbledon and a surprise first-round loss at the French Open, her impressive play through three rounds, including wins over two former Wimbledon champions, has shifted expectations.
Navarro dominated her opening match against two-time champion Petra Kvitova, allowing the retiring veteran just four games. She followed this with a comeback victory over defending champion Barbora Krejcikova in the third round, winning 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Navarro maintained focus and composure despite Krejcikova`s visible physical and emotional struggles, committing only 11 unforced errors. Krejcikova was the last remaining former women`s champion in the draw.
This run marks Navarro`s fifth appearance in the round of 16 in the last six Grand Slams, matching the most by any player, tied with Gauff and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
However, Navarro faces a significant challenge next against 18-year-old phenom Mirra Andreeva, the highest remaining seed in her half of the draw. Their only previous meeting saw Andreeva win convincingly 6-2, 6-2 in Cincinnati last season. Andreeva, a 2024 French Open semifinalist, seeks her first Wimbledon quarterfinal. Navarro expressed excitement about the matchup, acknowledging Andreeva`s powerful and resilient game, noting, “She`ll make you hit that extra ball.” The winner will proceed to face either No. 18 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova or Belinda Bencic in the quarterfinals.
No. 13 Amanda Anisimova
Victories so far: Yulia Putintseva, Renata Zarazua, Dalma Galfi
Next match: No. 30 Linda Noskova
The 23-year-old Anisimova is having a breakthrough season following a mental health break in early 2024. She won her biggest career title at the WTA 1000 Qatar Open in February, reached the French Open fourth round, and made her first grass final at Queen`s Club last month. Now at a career-high ranking of No. 12, she is on the verge of entering the top 10.
Anisimova made a strong statement in the first round at Wimbledon, delivering a rare double-bagel 6-0, 6-0 victory against Yulia Putintseva in just 44 minutes. While not every match has been as dominant, she has dropped only one set throughout the tournament and showed firm control in her third-round deciding set against Dalma Galfi. She reported feeling good about the state of her game on grass heading into the second week, noting her successful grass season has been “off to a really good start.”
Anisimova now has an opportunity to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the second time, having previously done so in 2022. She has played Noskova once before, losing in Indian Wells before her break in 2023, but they have not met on grass. Should Anisimova win, she would be the favorite in a potential quarterfinal match against unseeded opponents Sonay Kartal or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Men
No. 5 Taylor Fritz
Victories so far: Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Gabriel Diallo, No. 26 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Next match: Jordan Thompson
As the highest-ranked American man and a key figure for the contingent, 27-year-old Taylor Fritz arrived at Wimbledon in excellent form on grass, having won titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne. While many Americans struggle on the surface, Fritz has consistently excelled, with five of his ten career titles coming on grass.
A two-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist, including last year, Fritz navigated challenging early rounds that required deciding sets. He overcame Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who recorded the fastest serve in Wimbledon history (153 mph) and hit 33 aces, in a match that extended to a second day. He then fought back from a set down against Gabriel Diallo to win in five sets, accumulating the third-most games (109) through two rounds in tournament history. His third-round match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina was more controlled, resulting in a four-set victory.
Next, Fritz faces 31-year-old Australian Jordan Thompson, ranked No. 44. Their head-to-head is split 1-1, with Thompson winning their most recent meeting on grass at Queen`s Club in 2024. Fritz expressed confidence in his current game but acknowledged Thompson as a tricky opponent known for serve-and-volley and chipping tactics, stating it would be a different kind of match aimed at disrupting his rhythm. If Fritz advances, he would face the winner of the match between No. 17 Karen Khachanov and Kamil Majchrzak, potentially giving him his best opportunity to reach the Wimbledon semifinals.
No. 10 Ben Shelton
Victories so far: Alex Bolt, Rinky Hijikata, Marton Fucsovics
Next match: Lorenzo Sonego
Few American men this century have achieved significant success at such a young age as Ben Shelton. The 22-year-old has already reached two major semifinals (2023 US Open, 2025 Australian Open), claimed two ATP titles, and broke into the top 10 last month following a run to the French Open round of 16.
Shelton enters the second week at Wimbledon for the second consecutive year, thanks to three dominant performances without dropping a set. While his opening match against Alex Bolt included two tiebreaks (6-4, 7-6, 7-6), his second-round win was particularly clinical. After the match was suspended for darkness with Shelton leading 6-2, 7-5, 4-5, he returned the next day and needed only 70 seconds to close it out with three aces and an unreturned serve. He stated he was just focused on holding serve, but the swift finish sent a clear message.
His 6-3, 7-6, 6-2 victory over Marton Fucsovics in the third round solidified his strong form. Shelton is favored in his upcoming match against world No. 47 Lorenzo Sonego, who advanced after a lengthy five-set thriller against American Brandon Nakashima. This marks the third consecutive major where Shelton faces Sonego; Shelton won their encounters at the Australian Open and French Open, holding a 3-1 head-to-head record overall. Shelton commented on Sonego`s game and energy, expressing confidence in his own play and the crowd`s support.
If Shelton defeats Sonego and reaches his first Wimbledon quarterfinals, he would likely face world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Shelton has a challenging history against Sinner, with only one win compared to five losses in their head-to-head, including a defeat in the round of 16 at Wimbledon last season.
