US Open 2017: The American drought is guaranteed to end

The 2017 US Open semifinals will feature four American women. At least one drought is about to end for the country that once dominated the tennis scene.

The brilliance of the Williams sisters is often confused with the status of American tennis. While the Grand Slam drought on the men’s side of the draw is well-documented, it’s often overlooked as far as the women are concerned.

With what can only be described as a remarkable run at the 2017 US Open, four women have guaranteed that the drought is about to end.

No American woman other than Serena Williams or Venus Williams has reached a Grand Slam final since 2005. It was Lindsay Davenport who last achieved the feat, when she reached the final of both the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

Considering Davenport hasn’t played a single match since 2010, it’s fair to state that American tennis has suffered beyond the greatness of the Williams sisters.

Furthermore, no American woman other than Serena Williams or Venus Williams has won a Grand Slam title since 2002. Jennifer Capriati was responsible for that victory, when she won the 2002 Australian Open.

Capriati retired in 2004, which creates a drought of 13 years since the last American woman other than the Williams sisters to win a Grand Slam stepped foot on a court.

Thankfully, the 2017 US Open will put an end to at least one of those dreadful droughts. Madison Keys, Sloane Stephens, Coco Vandeweghe, and Venus Williams have all advanced to the semifinals, thus setting up an all-American finish.

At the very least, either Keys or Vandeweghe will become the first American woman other than the Williams sisters to play in a Grand Slam final since 2005.

If Stephens manages to upset Williams, then tennis would be guaranteed a first-time champion. If Keys or Vandeweghe were to defeat Williams in the final, then the same result would occur.

Williams could end a drought of her own, as she hasn’t won a Grand Slam title since 2008.

Sam Querrey has made back-to-back quarterfinals at Grand Slam events, which has done something to restore the relevance of the American men.

Must Read: Venus Williams defies the odds to reach the US Open semifinals

It’s the American women, however, who have dominated the 2017 US Open and guaranteed a patriotic ending to the final Grand Slam of 2017.