With play returning to the North American hard courts, American men will seek to find success on friendly home courts in the coming weeks. With the final major of the season on the horizon, they will look to position themselves for a potential run at the U. S. Open, which begins in a month.

An American man has not won a Grand Slam tournament since Andy Roddick earned the U. S. Open title in 2003. As Roddick faded, John Isner took the role of top American and has carried that distinction admirably. Now 30 years of age and ranked 19th in the world, he is still the safest pick for best success during the North American hard-court season and ultimately the final major of the year. It is unlikely that he could string together consecutive performances capable of withstanding the gauntlet of the world’s elite to capture a title at Flushing Meadows, but he is certainly accomplished enough to defeat anyone on a given day. Always a dangerous opponent with a serve unmatched by most, Isner could still catch lightning in a bottle and make a deep run in New York.

The North Carolina native has always enjoyed the home cooking of the United States hard courts and will trek through the eastern seaboard with tournaments close to his backyard. Look for the veteran to elevate his play in August, positioning himself as a dangerous threat during the fortnight in Flushing Meadows.

Jack Sock finds himself the X-factor among American men. The Nebraskan has risen to world No. 35, but an injury at Wimbledon resulted in a first-round defeat to Sam Groth and thwarted his momentum. Sock returned to action in Newport last week and will now test his knee on a surface that can be brutal to leg injuries.

Sock has shown the ability to rise to the occasion on big stages, recently advancing to the round of 16 at Roland Garros. He has defeated four top-20 opponents during his injury-shortened season and took the title in Houston. Another American with a powerful serve, Sock can also prove to be difficult when he is capable of setting up his lethal forehand. At 22 years of age, he appears to be in line to grab the baton from Isner as the top American at some point.

Sock returned to the hard courts for the first time since Miami this week, but he fell to Denis Kudla in straight sets at Atlanta. However, he will attempt to continue his return to full strength as play advances this summer, and with a successful American hard-court season, he could take a big step in closing the gap on Isner.

A player who has made a recent resurgence is native Californian Sam Querrey. The 27-year-old has seen his ranking rise to world No. 30 on the heels of a 6-3 record during the grass season, when he put together a run to the final in Nottingham. There, he defeated world No. 13 Gilles Simon and 23rd-ranked Pablo Cuevas.

Querrey was 9-5 during the 2014 version of the American hard-court swing, which included a semifinal result in Winston-Salem. Another American who has historically found some of his best tennis during the dog days of summer, Querrey could enter New York as a seeded player with solid play in the next several weeks.

Elsewhere, Steve Johnson is an American who has used this portion of the season to his advantage in the past. The former USC champion built momentum prior to the U. S. Open in 2014 with victories over Isner, Ivo Karlovic, and Ernests Gulbis on his way to New York. However, severe cramping forced an early exit at Flushing Meadows. Looking back, many first took notice of the young American at the U. S. Open in 2012, when he advanced to the round of 32 in his first year as a professional.

Now ranked world No. 48, Johnson hopes to find positive results prior to Flushing Meadows once again, as he looks to achieve peak form during the upcoming fortnight. However, his American hard-court season has been slow out of the gate as he fell to Ricardas Berankis in the second round at Atlanta.

Meanwhile, Donald Young is a player from the United States who could use a boost on home soil. Despite a ranking of No. 54, Young has not won a match on tour since Geneva in May. He has been eliminated in the first round at eight of his last nine tournaments, including this week in Georgia.

However, the inconsistent Young has shown the ability to string together some success at tournaments in his homeland. Last August, the 26-year-old made a run in Washington at the Citi Open, where he advanced to the semifinals. A strong showing this summer could salvage an otherwise disappointing year.

With a string of tournaments throughout the U. S. during the next month, there will be a strong representation of up and coming men from the States looking to make an impact. The current leg of the season is a good opportunity for young players such as Bjorn Fratangelo, Austin Krajicek, and Kudla to showcase their skills as they look to join the top American players.

Tournaments this summer in Atlanta, Washington, D. C., Toronto, Cincinnati, and Winston-Salem could have a profound impact on American success when the world’s best gather in New York for the final major of 2015.