Resurgent Mardy Fish leads American men into US Open - USA Today

Despite Andy Roddick's recent struggles, American men head into the U.S. Open not as an afterthought but as a resurgent group.

Led by eighth-ranked Mardy Fish— playing the best tennis of his career — a number of American men will hit New York with great expectations.

While only Fish, Roddick (No. 21) and John Isner (No. 28) are ranked in the top 30 on the ATP World Tour, American youngsters and veterans alike have made their presence felt in the North American summer hardcourt season.

"I prefer playing in the States more than anywhere else," Isner says. "There's definitely a comfort level, and I think most Americans would say the same."

Aside from No. 1 Novak Djokovic, perhaps no man has been on more of a roll than Fish, who clinched the US Open Series title and could earn $1 million in bonus money if he wins the U.S. Open.

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Coming off the best Wimbledon of his career — he reached the quarterfinals before losing to Rafael Nadal — Fish, 29, promptly went on a tear, winning a title in Atlanta and reaching the finals in Los Angeles and Montreal.

Fish also showed he could play with the big guns. Fish beat second-ranked Nadal in straight sets in the Cincinnati quarterfinals and played even with Djokovic before falling in three tough sets in Montreal.

"I've had good results and I've been able to stay healthy," Fish says. "Winning the U.S. Open Series and just coming into New York on a high …. that definitely translates into confidence and some momentum."

Like Fish, Isner took off after returning home. In a three-tournament span, Isner, 26, won the second title of his career in the Hall of Fame Championships in Newport, R.I., followed that up with a loss to Fish in the Atlanta final and reached the semifinals in Washington.

Saturday, in his final U.S. Open tuneup, Isner won the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Open. The field included fellow Americans Roddick, James Blake, Ryan Harrison and Donald Young.

Blake, once No. 4 in the world, saw his ranking plummet to No. 173 as recently as March. Since then, the 31-year-old has raised his ranking more than 100 spots and thinks he has good tennis left.

"I'm still competitive," the two-time U.S. Open quarterfinalist says, "and I feel, with my experience, especially at the Open, I know how to handle tough matches and tough opponents."

But it's not just the veterans who have used U.S. Open tuneups to their advantage.

Harrison, 19, reached the semifinals in Atlanta and Los Angeles, and Young, 22, reached the semifinals in Washington Both players received wild cards into the U.S. Open.

Still, most eyes will be on Fish and Roddick, whose 2003 U.S. Open win was the last Grand Slam tournament title for an American. Roddick, a former No. 1, has won one title, Memphis in February, this year.

Fish seems the most likely candidate to make a deep run in New York, but the Americans said they all pull for each other and get energized when their compatriots do well.

"We're a pretty close group," Blake says, "and we definitely pull for each other. You always want to see your friends and your country do well."