Patrick McEnroe Tabs American Man To Win U.S. Open

BusinessSportsMoneyPatrick McEnroe Tabs American Man To Win U.S. OpenByAdam Zagoria,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I'm a basketball and tennis insiderFollow AuthorAug 24, 2026, 03:08pm EDTAug 24, 2026, 03:08pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 24: Ben Shelton of the United States reacts against Ignacio Buse of Peru during their Men's Singles First Round match on Day One of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 24, 2025 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)Getty ImagesAn American man hasn’t won the U.S. Open since Andy Roddick in 2003.George W. Bush was President at the time.The first iPhone was still about 3 1/2 years away from being released.And Ben Shelton was less than a year old.Yet as we head into this year’s U.S. Open, Patrick McEnroe is tabbing Shelton, the No. 8 seed from Atlanta, to break the drought and hoist the trophy on Sept. 13 in Arthur Ashe Stadium.“I’m picking Big Ben, I’m going for it,” McEnroe said Monday on an ESPN conference call ahead of the Open. “I like Shelton to win the Open, and I can stop getting this question after 20-some years. ‘When’s the next American going to win a major?’ I’m sick of it, I’m tired of it.'”Whoever hoists the trophy will take home a record $5.5 million in prize money.Shelton, the huge-serving 23-year-old left-hander, is coming off defending his title at the Canadian Open where he defeated fellow American Brandon Nakashima to claim the trophy without dropping a set across his six matches.He also beat Joao Fonseca, Jacub Mensik Learner Tien en route to the final.With his victory, Shelton became the fourth man this century to successfully defend the Canada title after Andy Murray (2009-10), Novak Djokovic (2011-12) and Rafael Nadal (2018-19)....