The U.S. men's team appears more promising than it has in the past two decades.

 NEW YORK -- Just moments after his commanding second-round victory, Ben Shelton was asked about his next opponent. Dripping with sweat and a soaked towel draped over his shoulder on a scorching Wednesday afternoon, Shelton claimed he wasn’t aware that he’d be facing Frances Tiafoe in the third round of the US Open. Shelton said he avoids looking at the draw in advance, but it didn’t take long for him to warm up to the idea. "You guys made this draw exciting early in the week, huh?" he said with a grin to the thrilled crowd at Grandstand. "I'm really looking forward to it. We had a battle in the quarters here last year. I'm sure it'll be another popcorn-type match."

On Friday, in front of a packed and likely energetic crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the two Americans will compete for a spot in the fourth round. It's shaping up to be one of the most coveted tickets of the 2024 US Open, and the buzz around the grounds is already electric. But while only one will move on to the second week, their highly anticipated match may best capture the current state of American men's tennis and the excitement surrounding this top group of players.