TRICK DRAW
American men’s tennis can’t catch a break.
Friday’s U.S. Open draw shafted the two young Americans the USTA wants to promote, 18-year-olds Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe.
The two young studs got paired in the first round against two other promising young Americans who are seeded and at later stages of their careers.
Tiafoe, a wild-card entrant as the 152nd-ranked player, will face No. 20 seed John Isner, the blistering-server who had been the top-ranked American for three years until last week.
Surging, late-blooming Steve Johnson replaced him.
The 6-foot-4 Fritz, whose rise to No. 52 has been stunning, will face Nebraska’s Jack Sock, who some believe can one day get to the final weekend of a Grand Slam because of his walloping forehand.
Either way, it wasn’t good news for Fritz or Tiafoe.
“You don’t like to see Americans playing each other that early,’’ said Chris Evert, one of the draw’s hosts. “That’s not a good thing.”
The embarrassing decline in American men’s tennis has fans desperate for the next great U.S. player — or even just a player who can perennially be in the top 10 and a threat to win a major like Andy Roddick, the last American man to win a major (2003 Open).
Tiafoe and Fritz are the latest much-hyped prospects. Pete Sampras told The Post this week he feels Fritz has the best chance at stardom.
Tiafoe had won the first five head-to-head meetings against Fritz — the first three in juniors and one biggie at the marquee Indian Wells, Calif., event in March. But Fritz showed major growth, routing Tiafoe last week in straight sets at an ATP event in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Despite his elite athleticism, Tiafoe has had an up-an-down year and needed a wild card for entry. His background is the stuff of movies — learning the game much on his own at a Maryland tennis academy by tagging along with his father, the custodian. It’s no surprise Tiafoe, who hits a rip-roaring forehand, is often critiqued for lacking perfect technique.
While Sam Querrey is coming off a historic upset of Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon on his way to the quarterfinals, he has been quiet since. Johnson is considered the hotter player and carries the best shot among the Americans at making a deep run. However, his draw did him no favors, potentially stuck with the resurgent Juan Martin del Potro in the second round.
Johnson fared nicely in Rio, losing in the quarterfinals to Andy Murray, but taking a doubles bronze with Sock.
Armed with a big forehand, but an offspeed, slicing backhand, Johnson is a former two-time NCAA singles champion at USC who had crawled as a pro.
“He’s come of age at 26,” ESPN’s Cliff Drysdale said. “If you’re asking me if he’s a contender to win the Open, I would be very hesitant. He’s got a great arsenal. Sometimes it comes later on in life. I look forward to continuing to watch him progress. I’d have to look at him another 12 months before I put him in the top 10.”