At the US Open, Taylor Fritz, on Friday staged a remarkable comeback to overcome fellow American Frances Tiafoe, marking the first time an American man has reached a Grand Slam final in 15 years.
The match saw Fritz, currently ranked 12th in the world, secure a dramatic 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory, setting up a clash with top-seeded Jannik Sinner for the championship on Sunday.
Reflecting on his performance, Fritz shared, “He overwhelmed me at the start and I was freaking out a little. I just told myself to stay in it, hold serve and apply scoreboard pressure. I did all I could to stay in it. If I hadn’t have done that I’d regret it forever. In the final, I will come out and give it everything.”
Earlier, Italian star Jannik Sinner made history by becoming the first Italian man to reach the final in New York.
Sinner secured his place with a commanding 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 win over Britain’s Jack Draper. This victory follows Sinner’s triumph at the Australian Open and sets the stage for an eagerly anticipated final.
The last American man to feature in a Grand Slam final was Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2009, and he was the last American to capture a Grand Slam title when he won the US Open in 2003.
In Friday’s match, Tiafoe entered with a 6-1 deficit in his head-to-head record against Fritz. Despite his superior Grand Slam experience, Tiafoe was unable to maintain his momentum after taking the first set.
Fritz, who had previously defeated the fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev to reach the semi-finals, faced setbacks but persevered.
He failed to convert a set point in the second set but succeeded at the next opportunity to level the match.
Tiafoe regained the lead with a break in the third set but faltered as Fritz fought back. In the decisive fifth set, Fritz dominated, with Tiafoe only managing nine points.
In the other semi-final, Sinner faced an ailing Draper. Despite Draper’s efforts, including overcoming an illness and a series of double faults, Sinner’s consistent performance led him to victory.
Sinner, who also suffered a wrist injury during the match, described it as “a very physical match” and expressed excitement about the final, noting, “It was a very physical match. He’s so tough to beat so I’m excited to be in the final.”
The final on Sunday will feature a first-time US Open champion, as Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz both exited early in the tournament.
In a separate achievement, Ukrainian Lyudmyla Kichenok won a Grand Slam title in women’s doubles with Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko.
The duo defeated Kristina Mladenovic and Zhang Shuai 6-4, 6-3 in the final. Kichenok had to postpone her wedding to Stas Khmarsky, who is also Ostapenko’s coach, to focus on the tournament. “My boyfriend and I were supposed to get married on Wednesday but it didn’t happen,” Kichenok revealed. “We actually had the appointment but I was playing the semi-finals.”
