Taylor Fritz battles previous Frances Tiafoe to succeed in US Open last | ATP Tour

Match Report

Fritz rallies previous Tiafoe to succeed in first Grand Slam last at US Open

Fritz is first American male main singles finalist since 2009

September 07, 2024

Taylor Fritz is one win away from ending the USA’ 21-year-wait for a male Grand Slam singles champion.

The twelfth seed rallied previous longtime pal and fellow American Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 on Friday night to succeed in his first main last on the US Open. Andy Roddick triumphed at Flushing Meadows in 2003. Now Fritz can have an opportunity to earn his personal Grand Slam glory on Sunday when he takes on prime seed Jannik Sinner for the trophy.

“It’s the rationale I do what I do, the rationale why I work so onerous. I’m within the finals of the US Open,” Fritz mentioned as he teared up. “It’s a dream come true and I’m going to offer it all the things I probably have. I do know that for a reality.”

By to the most important last of his profession 🤩@Taylor_Fritz97 knocks out Tiafoe 4-6 7-5 4-6 6-4 6-1.@usopen | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/CyQGm1CbWq

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 7, 2024

The 26-year-old arrived in New York with one win throughout ATP Masters 1000 occasions in Montreal and Cincinnati. However that has not confirmed an issue for Fritz, who’s the primary American male to make a serious singles last since Roddick at Wimbledon in 2009.

The golden alternative at his residence Slam gave the impression to be slipping away. After successful the second set underneath the New York lights, Tiafoe, who does in addition to anybody on Tour to make use of the gang to his benefit, harnessed the ambiance inside Arthur Ashe Stadium to take management of the match.

The three-time ATP Tour titlist was stopping Fritz from dominating the motion together with his energy and was two video games from making his personal historical past. With tennis legends within the stands together with Roddick, Stan Smith and Tracy Austin, in addition to celebrities starting from Travis Scott and Fats Joe to basketball gamers Tyrese Maxey and John Wall, Tiafoe additionally loved a lot of the crowd’s assist.

However after 9 video games and not using a break level within the fourth set, Tiafoe badly mishit a forehand to abruptly give Fritz a set level, after which missed a forehand drop shot — one in all a number of poor drop photographs within the match — to ship the conflict right into a deciding set.

Fritz seized the momentum and by no means regarded again. The twelfth seed hit an enormous backhand return, which Tiafoe was unable to deal with, in his first return sport of the fifth set to interrupt. Though he let slip a double-break benefit with a double fault in a while, that proved a momentary blip. 

If the fifth-placed participant within the PIF ATP Stay Race To Turin is one factor, he’s a relentless competitor. He doesn’t have the flare of Tiafoe nor does he present the identical degree of emotion. However Fritz all the time battles again.

After dropping his first 4 main quarter-finals, together with two earlier this 12 months, Fritz broke his duck in opposition to two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion and 2020 US Open finalist Alexander Zverev three days in the past. Regardless of the deficit in opposition to Tiafoe, who was opportunistic to transform 4 of his 5 break factors, Fritz by no means confirmed indicators of panic, even when he was overwhelmed on the within.

“I felt I wasn’t doing something unsuitable, I used to be simply getting overwhelmed,” Fritz mentioned. “I used to be freaking out somewhat bit and [coach Michael Russell] advised me to maintain doing what I used to be doing, settle for it was okay and hold making him do it. That helped to calm me down and let me know I used to be doing the precise factor.”

The eight-time ATP Tour titlist continued to play onerous and received 25 of the 34 factors within the deciding set, claiming eight of the ultimate 9 video games to triumph in three hours and 18 minutes. 

“He was overwhelming from the baseline a lot, taking the ball so early, altering strains so nicely,” Fritz mentioned of Tiafoe’s aggressive strategy. “I simply advised myself to attempt to keep in it, struggle to carry my serve and apply scoreboard strain as a lot as doable.”

Fritz will take a 1-1 Lexus ATP Head2Head file into his showdown with Sinner, who received his first Grand Slam title earlier this 12 months on the Australian Open. He earned the chance with a brave comeback within the largest second of his profession.

Fritz mentioned: “I advised myself if I didn’t give it completely all the things I had and keep it up and see if his degree would possibly drop somewhat bit, I might remorse it for a very long time.”

Tiafoe started his season with a 19-18 file. However since arriving in Cincinnati, he has reached his first ATP Masters 1000 last and second US Open semi-final to enhance to 29-20.

Did You Know?
This was the primary all-American males’s singles semi-final at a serious since Andre Agassi beat Robby Ginepri on the US Open in 2003.