Who has the chance to replicate the North American Triple Crown legend this year?

In professional tennis, the North American Triple Crown refers to winning the Rogers Cup, Cincinnati Masters, and US Open in the same year, which is one of the highest honors of the North American hard court season. However, since the Open Era began in 1968, only three players have achieved this feat: Patrick Rafter in 1998, Andy Roddick in 2003, and Rafael Nadal in 2013.

Today, as the 2025 Rogers Cup is about to begin, the absence of Sinner, Alcaraz, and Djokovic has heightened the suspense of this year's North American season. Can Zverev, Medvedev, Fritz, and others in the draw challenge the rare achievement of the North American Triple Crown? Let's review history and look ahead to this year's tournament landscape.

The creator of the North American Triple Crown is former world number one and Australian tennis starPatrick Rafter, who was a typical serve-and-volley player with both his first and second serves featuring high-bouncing topspin, creating excellent opportunities for him to approach the net. He was highly competitive on hard courts in the late 1990s. During that time, the technical style of hard courts was gradually shifting towards baseline play, yet Rafter stood out during this transition with his unique playing style.

In 1998, Rafter showcased exceptional form at the Rogers Cup, advancing through the rounds with his signature topspin serve and precise net play, ultimately defeating Richard Krajicek in the final with scores of 7-6, 6-4, marking a strong start to the North American hard court season. Following that, at Cincinnati, Rafter continued his hot streak, maintaining stable performance against tough opponents, and eventually defeated Sampras in the final to secure the championship. As the culminating Grand Slam of the North American season, the US Open was Rafter's most outstanding stage. He first won the US Open in 1997 and again in 1998, showcasing aggressive play and excellent serve-and-volley skills, making him one of the most impressive players of that year. After a five-set battle in the semifinals against Sampras, he triumphed over Philippoussis in the final, successfully defending his title and becoming the first player in the Open Era to achieve the North American Triple Crown.

Five years later, in 2003, American Roddick became the second player to realize the North American Triple Crown myth. Roddick was known for his powerful serve and is regarded as one of the best servers in history. His serve speed is incredibly fast, reaching up to 201 km/h even years after his retirement. Roddick's serve was not only fast but also precise, especially his powerful serves to the inner corners of the service box, which became one of his signature techniques. The American's playing style was highly aggressive; he preferred to finish points quickly rather than engage in prolonged rallies. This style made him particularly effective on fast hard courts. In 2003, after being eliminated by Federer in the Wimbledon semifinals, Roddick exploded onto the North American hard court season. He first defeated the newly crowned Wimbledon champion Federer in a three-set tiebreak in the Rogers Cup semifinals, then went on to defeat Nalbandian in the final to claim the title. A week later, he won the Cincinnati final, coming from behind to beat Fish in two tiebreaks. After claiming the double title, Roddick continued his momentum at the US Open, saving match points to come back against Nalbandian in the semifinals and defeating third seed Ferrero in the final, achieving the North American Triple Crown with a remarkable 19-match winning streak. August 2003 is often referred to as Roddick's "dream August," and he never replicated such a high point in his career again.

In 2013, Nadal returned from a knee injury, initially thought to have limited competitiveness on hard courts, but that year turned out to be a peak year for the Spaniard. He won a total of 10 titles that season, including the North American Triple Crown. Nadal defeated Djokovic in the semifinals of the Rogers Cup and won the championship by beating Raonic in the final. At Cincinnati, he successively defeated Federer, Berdych, and Isner to claim the title. Finally, at the US Open, Nadal triumphed over Djokovic in the final in four sets. Fifteen years after Rafter achieved the North American Triple Crown, Nadal became the third player to accomplish this feat.This was Nadal's only time achieving a "Triple Crown" on North American hard courts in his career, proving that he is not only the king of clay but also a versatile warrior.

Why is the North American Triple Crown so rare?

Firstly, the packed schedule poses a significant physical challenge for players, who must compete continuously in high-temperature and high-humidity conditions; secondlyboth the Rogers Cup and Cincinnati are ATP 1000 Masters events, while the US Open is a Grand Slam tournament, making it increasingly difficult to win titles;the fast pace of North American hard courts favors powerful servers or aggressive baseline players, but maintaining form across three consecutive tournaments is extremely challenging.

This year, the absence of Sinner, Alcaraz, and Djokovic from the Rogers Cup has opened up the competition. Potential candidates in the draw include:

Zverev, who reached the US Open final in 2020and excels in both serving and baseline play,but has had inconsistent performances on North American hard courts in the past and needs to improve his ability to compete continuously.

Medvedev, a hard court specialist, has come close to achieving greatness on hard courts.In 2021, he swept the Rogers Cup and US Open titles, falling just short of the Triple Crown by missing Cincinnati, demonstrating his undeniable hard court prowess. However, his form has declined in recent years, and he needs to regain his peak performance level.

Fritz, a local favorite competing on North American soil,is skilled on fast hard courts, supported by local fans, and has recently been in great form, winning two grass court titles before reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon for the first time. If he can maintain his hot streak, he is sure to make an impact during the North American season.

Since Nadal achieved the North American Triple Crown in 2013, no one has been able to replicate this feat in the past 12 years, not even giants like Federer and Djokovic, who have also faced setbacks. In 2025, with the rise of the new generation and the loosening grip of the tennis giants, perhaps new faces will join this elite club. Whether it's Zverev, Medvedev, Fritz, or a dark horse, the fiery battlefield of North American hard courts is always waiting for the next legend to emerge. In the world of tennis, some records seem unattainable, yet there are always those who can break the limits. This is the charm of competitive sports.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Mei)