Taylor Fritz believes his place in the US Open final 2024 shows American players are “moving in the right direction” after he became the first men’s player to reach a grand slam final from his country since Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2009.
In an all-American semi-final, 12th seed Fritz beat close friend Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 to set up a final against world number one Jannik Sinner, who beat Briton Jack Draper in straight sets.
“Regardless of the result, it gives hope and shows that we’re knocking on the door of winning a slam,” said Fritz, who is a win away from becoming the first male major champion since Roddick in New York in 2003.
“There are four or five of us who are actually at this level. It shows that we’re all moving in the right direction. Whenever one of us does something, the others get belief from it. This is just the start for all of us.”
“I’ve been the highest ranked for a while, I was able to win Indian Wells [in 2022]. I was the only one who didn’t have a slam semi-final, so I really wanted that. It’s just a great feeling to be here.”
It means so so much to Taylor Fritz pic.twitter.com/dwsBtyaY1Z
— Barstool Tennis (@StoolTennis) September 7, 2024
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Sinner vs Fritz
The US has the most men’s players in the top 20, with Ben Shelton 13th, Tommy Paul 14th, Sebastian Korda 16th and Tiafoe 20th.
In Fritz and Sinner’s two previous meetings, the Italian suffered defeat in 2023 at Indian Wells, where he had beaten Fritz in 2021.
“He hits the ball big,” said Fritz. “He’s a very strong ball-striker but I always feel I hit the ball nice off his ball. I have the feeling that I will play very well and win. When I play good tennis, my level, I think, can be enough.”
Putting the United States back in US Open! pic.twitter.com/oDLvRoXWbL
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2024
US Open men’s final
Fritz expects the occasion to be less emotionally taxing than his encounter with Tiafoe. “I led the head-to-head 6-1 going into it, and I’m not going into it thinking I’m the favourite because everything’s totally different when you’re playing a match like this,” he said, calling Tiafoe’s form to reach the semi-final “unbelievable”.
“It’s two Americans to make it to the final, both of us wanting to be the guy. Whoever wins is the American who made it to the final.
“It’s a stressful situation to be in. It’s different from playing the world number one, who you’re probably not going to be favourite against.”
Pegula vs Sabalenka
Jessica Pegula will become the first American to win a major since Sofia Kenin triumphed in Melbourne in 2020 if the sixth seed beats second seed Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday (4pm ET).
Kenin’s victory remains the only grand slam win for an American woman during the past seven seasons.
