SERENA WILLIAMS: A+
Her 20th Slam win was another dramatic comeback story—even more ‘heroic’ than her storied 2007 Aussie Open campaign? Next up: aiming for another ‘Serena Slam’ at Wimbledon. Could tie Steffi Graf‘s 22-Slam mark at the US Open.
BETHANIE MATTEK-SANDS: A+
One slam title is not enough—how about two? The colorful Mattek-Sands teamed up with singles finalist Lucie Safarova to win the doubles (keeping their Grand Slam hopes alive) and with Mike Bryan to win the mixed. With four Slam titles on her resume, she’s no longer just an against-the-grain fashion rebel.
TOMMY PAUL: A+
Teen from New Jersey made his first big breakthrough in juniors by winning the boys’ singles. Who says Americans can’t play on clay?
JACK SOCK: A
Upset tenth seed Grigor Dimitrov, scared Nadal by taking a set from him, and served notice he might be the next big American player on the men’s side. Nice forehand, Jack.
AMERICAN JUNIORS: A
Four of the eight semifinalists in the boys’ and girls singles were from the US. Will this translate to big wins, long careers, and American success in the future?
MIKE BRYAN: A
Though he and bro Bob were upset in the men’s doubles final, he took home the mixed doubles title with Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
TAYLOR FRITZ: A-
The highly-touted, big-serving Fritz is from SoCal, so we know he’s good on hard courts and grass, but he also reached the boys’ final here. And a youth shall lead us—Taylor is the big man on the San Diego Aviators’ roster this summer.
BOB BRYAN: B+
He and Mike are still No. 1, though they were surprised by Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares in the men’s doubles final. The Bryans have won just one of the last seven Slams.
SLOANE STEPHENS: B+
Sloane has said she wants to win a French Open, and her game translates well to clay. She came the closest to beating Serena here, and also dispatched Venus, offering flashes of great tennis.
CICI BELLIS: B+
Clay isn’t 16-year-old Bellis’s best surface, so her run to the semis in the girls’ singles is an encouraging result.
STEVE JOHNSON: B
The SoCal warrior Johnson scored a pair of wins in Paris before running into eventual champ Stan Wawrinka in the third round. On court, the Swiss inflicted backhanded pain. Off-court, he offered backhanded compliments.
IRINA FALCONi: B
Diminutive scrapper reemerged with a third-round run.
MADISON KEYS: B-
Like Venus Williams, Madison must be gearing up for grass. Reaching the third round here was a solid result, but she had no plan B against Timea Bacsinszky‘s clay game.
JOHN ISNER: B-
Isner has posted strong results at the French Open in the past, but the big man fell to France’s Jeremy Chardy in the second round.
FRANCES TIAFOE: C+
Good job qualifying for his first main draw Slam, but he went out meekly in the first round.
VENUS WILLIAMS: C-
Lost in straights to Sloane Stephens and then skipped out of a mandatory post-match press conference. Wimbledon beckons.
OVERALL AMERICAN GRADE: A-
America’s journey to Roland Garros generally results in a lot of pain on the grains of clay. But this year was one of the brightest in memory, with notable performances by newbies and veterans alike.
