NEW YORK –– Here we go into the second week of the US Open and the only Americans remaining in the singles draws are named Williams.
That’s right, 36-year-old Venus Williams and soon-to-be-35-year-old Serena Williams — both of whom are set to play their fourth-round matches on Monday afternoon in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
This became reality on Sunday afternoon when Madison Keys, a big-hitting 21-year old from Boca Raton, Fla., seeded No. 8, bowed out of the women’s draw at the hands of Caroline Wozniacki, 6-3, 6-4, on a perfect sunny afternoon for tennis in Ashe. That was followed shortly thereafter by Nebraska native Jack Sock losing to Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 6-3, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2, on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
And with that, the last American man and woman not named Williams were ousted before the start of the second week of the final Grand Slam of 2016.
It’s “hard to think what American tennis would be like without the Williams’ sisters playing into their 30s,” Pam Shriver said on ESPN.
An American man hasn’t won a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and no American man has reached the quarterfinals of the Open since Roddick and John Isner in 2011.
“I take pride in being the last one here,” Sock said of being the last American man in the draw. “Obviously, wanted to go out there and keep it going for not only myself but for the U.S. as a whole. Unfortunately couldn’t do that today.
“But I think as everyone knows, I love everything in this country and playing for them. Hopefully in the future I can keep playing these second weeks, you know, representing the best I can.”
The men had some bright spots in Week 1. Ryan Harrison took out the No. 5 seed Milos Raonic, and Sock upended No. 7 Marin Cilic, the 2014 champ, in straight sets. Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz, two teenagers with a ton of promise, pushed Sock and Isner to five sets, respectively, in the first round. Jared Donaldson knocked off No. 12 David Goffin in the first round.
“I think the future looks good,” Sock said. “Promising players coming up playing very good tennis.”
Still, no American man will win a Major for the 13th straight year. Since Roddick last won on the men’s side, Venus and Serena have piled up 19 Grand Slam singles titles.
To put the Williams Sisters’ achievements in perspective real quick, Venus reached her first Grand Slam final at the 1997 US Open when she was 17. That was 19 years ago, during the second Clinton Administration.
As in Bill Clinton.
Serena won the first Williams Family US Open crown in 1999 — at the age of 17.
In 2000 and 2001, Venus beat her younger sister in the final, which in 2001 was moved to primetime on Saturday night to take advantage of the growing popularity of the beaded sisters whose father, Richard Williams, taught them how to play on the public courts of Compton, Calif.
Since they first turned pro, the sisters have combined to win 29 Grand Slam singles titles — 22 by Serena and 7 by Venus — including 8 in Flushing Meadows.
Many of their rivals over the years are long retired from singles — Martina Hingis, Jennifer Capriati, Lindsay Davenport, Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin.
Serena has won eight majors since turning 30. That’s as many as Jimmy Connors won during his entire career and one more than John McEnroe won in his career.
At nearly 35, Serena remains the favorite to win her 23rd Open-Era Major, passing Steffi Graf’s 22.
Venus, who seems far removed from battling the Sjogrens Syndrome that slowed her down a few years back, could reach her second major semifinal of 2016.
So appreciate them while you can. They won’t be around forever.
And then what becomes of American tennis?
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