NEW YORK -- When Steve Johnson walked into the US Open locker room Wednesday morning following his emotional comeback win over Evgeny Donskoy, Ryan Harrison was waiting to congratulate him, a great big grin plastered on his face.
Much later that same day, Harrison, a qualifier at this tournament, completed a stunning upset of No. 5 seed Milos Raonic. The first person Harrison saw when he ambled into the locker room and dropped his bags was fellow countryman John Isner.
"He's excited for me," Harrison later said of his ensuing conversation with Isner. "That's the good thing about all of us guys that are playing for America. We have pretty good relationships. I think the winning does become contagious."
This particular influenza has been easily spread in the early days of the US Open. The lockers of Isner, Johnson, Harrison Jared Donaldson and Jack Sock are clustered so close that one can hardly open his door without whacking his buddy. All those players won their first-round matches, as did Donald Young. The sound of locker doors slamming was accompanied by high-fives all around. In all, seven men from the US survived opening matches.
Former generations of US players couldn't afford or didn't indulge in a comparable degree of camaraderie. Instead of sitting down to share a meal, they would take the knife off the table and stick it in the other guy's back. The stakes certainly were higher for rivals and perpetual Grand Slam winners such as Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, or John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors. When their egos weren't exploding, they might even have wished to experience the kind of bonhomie today's crop of mid-level pros share.
Connors, for one, might denigrate the cozy relationships the present stable of US players enjoy. He habitually extolled the value of keeping his distance from all but the most obsequious of peers. But Connors was a sensation from the earliest days of his career.
The U.S. players striving at this event have always relied on a little help from their friends. These players are not lone wolves, they're a pack of coyotes working hard to survive in a harsh environment. Forget clichés about individual exceptionalism; the theme for the ruling generation of U.S. pros is the homily about a rising tide lifting all boats. In fact, these boats are banging into each other.
Over the past few weeks, Isner and Johnson have been engaged in a spirited competition to hold the top ranking among Americans. At the moment, Isner is No. 21, Johnson No. 22 and Olympic gold medalist Sock is closing fast at No. 27. Twenty-eight-year-old Sam Querrey is in the mix as well.
Harrison was ranked as high as No. 43 at the age of 20 in 2012, but he was down to No. 120 before this summer's resurgence. "He has been around for a while, but he's still very young," Isner said the other day, reminding us that Harrison was a legitimate prodigy who turned pro at 16. "He's figuring it out again."
At 31, Isner is the elder statesman for a generation. But Johnson, 26, is a slow and steady learner while 23-year-old Sock has the most explosive game and perhaps the most long-term upside. Sock is already in the third round; his appetite is whetted by the pair of medals he brought home from the Rio Olympics. He took the gold with Bethanie Mattek-Sands in mixed doubles and partnered with Johnson to take the bronze medal in men's doubles.
"I feel like my tennis is right there to be playing in the second week," Sock said following his second-round win at Flushing Meadows. "There was something about the Olympics. I feel like my attitude and mentality since [then] actually changed fairly drastically. I've enjoyed being out there more. Not necessarily less pressure, but I'm just having more fun out there."
Sock and company had better enjoy these times while they can, because there's another, younger generation of talented American ready to sue for inclusion. That group is led by 18-year-old Taylor Fritz, who's already up to No. 53. Ironically, he drew Sock as his first-round opponent. It took Sock five sets and every tool in his kit to spritz Fritz.
Also among the upstarts are 18-year-olds Francis Tiafoe and Jared Donaldson. Tiafoe had Isner on the ropes in the first round but let him slip away and win. Donaldson played a very smart match to eliminate No. 12 seed David Goffin. Also in that group, junior Grand Slam champions Reilly Opelka and Tommy Paul.
"The younger Americans are making a splash, making names for themselves early," Sock said after beating Fritz. "These guys are playing great tennis."
No male American player has won the singles title here since 2003. But the emerging generation is jump-starting an abandoned conversation about when such a thing might happen again. That sound you hear in the background is the rocking of boats as the water continues to rise.