The Americans still playing at the French Open - ESPN

PARIS — After a relatively strong season on the clay and a number of seeded players, the expectations were high for those representing the red, white and blue at the French Open.

Defending champion Coco Gauff had reached the final in Rome earlier this month. Ben Shelton had become the first countryman to win a 500-level title on the surface in Munich in April, and Learner Tien won his first clay title at Geneva just last week.

Six men — the most since 1993 — and five women advanced to the third round in Paris and were all in action Friday and Saturday. But it was a swelteringly hot and chaotic stretch at the tournament, which saw the stunning upset of 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic, among others. And the Americans largely struggled as well.

Entering the second week, just three Americans remain in the singles draws: Madison Keys, Frances Tiafoe and Zachary Svajda. While Keys and Tiafoe have been deep in majors before, it's a wildly unexpected run for Svajda. After several Americans lost, Svajda became the first American to advance to the fourth round, and he simply couldn't believe he had the chance to be the last countryman standing.

«That would be amazing,» he said. «You know, it's like I'm dreaming right now, in a dream. It's crazy.»

All three will next play Monday with a chance to move on to the quarterfinals. Gauff was the last American to lift the trophy in Paris, as she did last year, but no man has done so since Andre Agassi in 1999. Will that change this year? With the way things are going, it just might.

Here are the Americans remaining in the draw, how they got here and what's next.

Players she has beaten so far: Hanne Vandewinkel, Antonia Ruzic, No. 9 Victoria Mboko

Up next: No. 25 Diana Shnaider

Previo