No.12 seed is first American man to make Slam final since 2009
©Corinne Dubreuil / FFTAt 3-3 in the fourth set, with Frances Tiafoe leading Taylor Fritz by two-sets-to-one in the first all-American men’s singles semi-final at a Grand Slam since 2005 US Open, the duo engaged in a brutal 31-shot rally.
The capacity crowd in Arthur Ashe stadium oohed and aahed with every groundstroke until Fritz finally outlasted his good friend and countryman.
Fritz then proceeded to win nine of the next 11 games to secure a 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory and a place in a Grand Slam final for the first time in his career.
The No.12 seed, who will take on world No.1 Jannik Sinner for the title, is the first American man to reach a major singles final since Andy Roddick at 2009 Wimbledon, and the first American man to do so at the US Open since Roddick in 2006.
“It’s the reason why I do what I do, it’s the reason why I work so hard. I mean… I’m in the finals of the US Open,” said an emotional Fritz on court.
Later in his press conference, the 26-year-old detailed how he felt during that moment.
“It's just joy, like, the crowd cheering and kind of that realisation, like wow, I'm in the finals of the US Open. It's such a lifelong dream come true, something I've worked my whole life for to be in this situation. I think just kind of like realising that got me a little bit choked up.”
Fritz admits he was “overwhelmed” by Tiafoe’s hitting early in the match but believed he had to keep doing what he was doing, with the hope his opponent would start making a few mistakes.
“It was a crazy match. I think a lot of it was just about handling the moment and the pressure. He was playing at a very high level, I felt like, in the third and fourth sets,” added Fritz, who now leads Tiafoe 7-1 head-to-head.
“It was really about just staying in it and kind of just withstanding how much pressure he was putting on me from the baseline.”
Tiafoe, who also lost in the US Open semi-finals two years ago, was understandably disappointed after the match and admits he began to cramp in the fourth set.
“It's tough. It's really, really tough. Really, really tough to swallow. This one's gonna hurt really, really bad,” confessed the No.20 seed.
“I thought I was the better player for sure tonight. In the fourth, I don't know, just had some in-and-out cramps. I just felt like my body just kind of shut down on me.
“Probably had a lot to do with nerves. I wasn't tired at all.
“I have been feeling unbelievable physically. But also, I mean, it could be a testament to how many matches I've played in the short time and I haven't played that many matches all year like that.
“Ultimately, I think nerves got the better of me tonight. Yeah, kind of just went down, just kind of like a similar thing with Alcaraz and Novak that year at the French. Kind of seems like the same thing. Couldn't really move.
“Got to tip your hat to Taylor. He stayed with it, he competed, he deserved it tonight. All the best to him in the final.”
Sinner had a lot on his mind entering this US Open, with news breaking he had failed two anti-doping tests but was cleared to compete after an independent tribunal ruled he bore no fault or negligence for a contamination through his physiotherapist.
The Italian top seed found himself in the spotlight for reasons other than his world-beating tennis and he had to find a way to lock in for the final Grand Slam of the season.
Sinner did just that as he made his way to the first US Open final of his career, battling past British No.25 seed Jack Draper in a gruelling three-hour semi-final on Friday 7-5, 7-6(3), 6-2.
“We went just day by day, really, with not so many expectations,” said Sinner of how he managed this challenging fortnight in New York.
“Trying to find my game, trying to find our rhythm. I started off the first day losing the first set, I was set and break down going, you know, through that one. Just trying to find confidence throughout the days.
“We practised very hard in the days in between, you know, trying to prepare each match in the best possible way. Yeah, I'm happy to be in the final here. It's a special tournament, so let's see what's coming Sunday.”
The second set alone of his semi-final with Draper lasted 89 minutes. Both players dealt with physical issues, Sinner needing treatment after he fell on his wrist and Draper vomiting on court on multiple occasions.
It was the world No.1 who ultimately proved to be physically superior, closing out the match in straights with a tally of 43 winners – including 11 aces – and 34 unforced errors.
Sinner, who won the Cincinnati title in the build-up to the US Open, has now extended his current winning streak to 10 matches and improved to a tour-leading 22-2 win-loss record at the Grand Slams this season.
The 23-year-old paid tribute to his good friend Draper, who was contesting the first major semi-final of his career.
“It was nice to share the court with him. Hopefully we have some more battles in the future, which I'm quite sure about that. He's made his breakthrough this week a little bit, playing some amazing tennis, serving very well. Physically he has improved a lot,” said Sinner of the British lefty.
Draper said he felt “horrible” during the match and attributed getting sick to the physicality of the contest, the extreme humidity, and the magnitude of the occasion.
“At the end of the day, I always try and give my best,” said Draper.
“The second set I was feeling not too great and I still pushed it to a tiebreak. I was fighting hard. I'm proud of myself. I tried to fight as hard as I can. Just not going to get it done against someone like that.”
Sinner aims to become the fourth man to win the Australian Open and US Open in the same season since both events switched to hard courts. Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer achieved that feat three times, while Mats Wilander did it in 1988.
With Fritz and Jessica Pegula making the finals this weekend, this is the first time since 2002 that an American man and an American woman have reached the US Open singles finals.
“I think I just need to keep on learning, keep on growing, keep on having situations like today where I came unstuck and how am I going to do it different next time and all these types of things. That's the biggest thing I think it is, honestly, just a matter of time. It's experiences, doing all the right things, it's training consistently, and over time you just progress and you get stronger and you get better. Hopefully I'll be in these situations more often and I'm able to come through them.”
– It’s all about growth and capitalising on learning opportunities for Draper.
“I think it opened the floodgates for sure. I think guys are gonna start believing they can go deep in Slams. Tommy (Paul) has already made semis of slams, Ben (Shelton) as well, obviously him beating me last year here in the quarters. Fritz, now he's made the finals. None of us younger guys have done that.
“See what happens on Sunday, but I think a lot of guys are going to be able to think they can do it, especially in this one where later in the season, stuff like that with American crowds and what have you.
"I think it's big. I think it shows that it's definitely possible.”
– Tiafoe believes American men’s tennis can only go higher and higher from here.
ROLAND-GARROS
19 May - 8 June 2025
