NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 06: Taylor Fritz of the United States celebrates after defeating Frances Tiafoe of the United States in their Men’s Singles Semifinal match on Day Twelve of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 06, 2024 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFP
Photo: SARAH STIER
Taylor Fritz survived an epic fight against American compatriot Frances Tiafoe 4-6 7-5 4-6 6-4 6-1 to reach his first major final at the US Open.
The home fans packed Arthur Ashe Stadium for the all-American semi-final, where 12th seed Fritz used his monster serve to his advantage, closing out the match with one of 16 aces.
Tiafoe got off to a terrific start but gradually ran out of energy and had nothing left in the tank in the final set, as 50 unforced errors and nine double faults across the match cost him dearly.
He next plays Italian top seed Jannik Sinner in Sunday’s championship match, where he hopes to end a 21-year US men’s major drought.
Sinner plays down wrist injury before US Open final
US Open finalist Jannik Sinner is hopeful the wrist injury he sustained in a fall during Saturday’s semi-final win over Jack Draper will not be a bother during the final.
Top seed Sinner, the first Italian man to reach a US Open final, received medical attention beside the court during the gruelling straight-set win, while his opponent vomited three times in the New York heat.
“The physio (loosened) it up very fast on court, so after I felt OK in the beginning. Then, after, it went away by playing, which is good,” Sinner told reporters.
“Let’s see how it is tomorrow when it’s cold. It’s gonna be a different feeling. Hopefully is nothing to concern about.”
The 23-year-old said he expected Britain’s Draper, who reached a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time, to be a strong contender.
“Playing against Jack, it’s never easy. He served very well… Happy to win this one,” Sinner said. “I know that he’s potentially winning some big titles in the future.”
The Australian Open champion, who faces American 12th seed Taylor Fritz in the final on Sunday, said he expected a difficult match, playing a home favourite in the Arthur Ashe stadium.
“Big serve. Very solid player from the back of the court. He can hit strong. He can hit with rotation. He can mix up the game very well,” Sinner said.
“We’re in New York playing against an American, so it’s gonna be, for sure, the crowd a little bit more on their side. But it’s normal. It’s like when I play in Italy… so I’m gonna accept that.”
Hometown hero Pegula looks to upset Sabalenka in US Open final
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 05: Jessica Pegula of the United States celebrates match point against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic during their Women’s Singles Semifinal match on Day Eleven of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 05, 2024 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFP
Photo: SARAH STIER
American Jessica Pegula will hope her excellent run of form and the backing of the boisterous home crowd can lift her to an upset win over hard-hitting Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open women’s final on Saturday.
Pegula, 30, is one of the best players on the WTA Tour to have never won a major and the Buffalo, New York native’s run to the final is all the more impressive given the injury setbacks she suffered earlier this year.
“If you would have told me at the beginning of the year I’d be in the finals of the US Open, I would have laughed so hard because that was where my head was. I was not thinking that I would be here,” she told reporters.
“So to be able to overcome all those challenges and have a chance at the title on Saturday … in my home country, in my home slam. It’s perfect, really.”
Standing in her way is the reigning two-time Australian Open champion Sabalenka, whose thunderous serve and punishing groundstrokes have overwhelmed her opponents at Flushing Meadows this year.
The second-seeded Belarusian is looking for redemption after letting last year’s US Open final slip away to American Coco Gauff after winning the first set.
“Last year it was very tough experience, very tough lesson,” she said.
“I wasn’t ready. Then I got emotional. Then I just couldn’t handle the crowd.”
Sabalenka has won five of the pair’s seven career meetings, most recently a straight-sets victory at the Cincinnati Open final, and said she expects another tough fight on Saturday.
“We had a lot of great battles in the past, really difficult, tight matches,” she said.
“She’s playing really incredible tennis. We played recently in Cincinnati and it was a really tough match. Even though I closed the match in two sets, still it wasn’t that easy.
“She’s playing her best tennis, I would say, and feels like she’s back on track.
“Cannot wait to play against her.”
– Reuters