By Rory Carroll
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Californian Sam Querrey will attempt to come a step closer to ending a grand-slam title drought for American men that dates back to 2003 when he takes on big-serving Kevin Anderson of South Africa at the U.S. Open on Tuesday.
The last American man to win a grand-slam title was Andy Roddick, who captured the U.S. Open championship in 2003.
Querrey will first have to get past his friend and occasional doubles partner Anderson.
The pair should be easy for fans to spot when they meet at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the final match of the night. Querrey stands six foot six inches (1.98 meters) while Anderson is six foot eight inches (2.03m), making the meeting the tallest grand slam quarter-final, semi-final or final of the Open Era.
Querrey is 8-6 against Anderson lifetime but the pair have split their two meetings this season.
Prior to that match, American Venus Williams will battle Czech Petra Kvitova in a highly-anticipated quarter-final on Ashe.
Williams, who is 10 years older than Kvitova, boasts seven grand-slam titles and will have the backing of the partisan New York crowd.
Kvitova, who missed part of the season with serious injuries to her left hand that she sustained during a knife attack at her home in December, has won two Wimbledon titles and dispatched world number three Garbine Muguruza in the previous round.