US Open: Fritz beats Tiafoe in 5, meets Sinner in final

NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Fritz snapped a six-game run against a weakening and frustrated Frances Tiafoe, winning 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in a All-American duel on US Open on Friday evening and reach his first Grand Slam final.

The Fritz’s, number 12 Victory with turning point against No. 20 Tiafoe — two 26-year-olds who are close friends and have known each other since they competed in tournaments for children under 14 — reached a showdown against the number 1 Jannik Sinner for the championship on Sunday.

Fritz will be the first American to reach a major final since Andy Roddick lost to Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2009. And if he can beat Sinner, Fritz would be the first American to win a Grand Slam title since Roddick won it at the US Open 21 years ago.

“That’s why I do what I do,” Fritz said, his voice breaking. “That’s why I work so hard.”

After a 4-4 fourth set on Friday, he took control when Tiafoe’s strokes and his usual confidence deserted him. After a double fault that gave him a break for 4-0 in the fifth set, Tiafoe threw his racquet away after more than three hours of play. Fritz returned the favor by double faulting the next game, but breaking straight after and it was soon over.

sinner, a 23-year-old from Italy acquitted in doping case less than three weeks ago, completed a 7-5, 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory over No. 25 Jack Draper on Friday, with both opponents receiving simultaneous treatment from trainers toward the end of the hour-and-a-half-long second set.

“It was a very physical match, as we can see,” said Sinner, who won the Australian Open in January. “I just tried to stay there mentally.”

His left wrist was massaged after he fell during a point he could have won; Draper required medical attention after vomiting twice in a match in temperatures of around 25 degrees and humidity of over 60%. During that stoppage of play, a vacuum cleaner was used to clean the floor behind the baseline, finishing the cleanup job that Draper, a 22-year-old Brit, attempted to do himself by wiping off his, er, mess with a towel.

There was no such drama outside of the actual game between Tiafoe and Fritz, and the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium could have been forgiven for not knowing who to cheer for. first semifinal in New York between two American men in 19 years.

Shortly before the first point, applause broke out, a worthy start to the show to come. But when Fritz broke through on his way to a 3-0 lead, there was not even a hint of a roar to be heard, it was more like polite applause.

The guest boxes seemed to reflect the players’ different personalities. An excited Tiafoe would mark a key moment by shaking a raised fist or gritting his teeth, waving his racket or nodding as he strutted to the sideline, and his entourage – including coach David Witt, who worked with Venus Williams for many years, and Jessica Pegula, the American in the final of the US Open women Saturday against Aryna Sabalenka – stood up and clapped, point after point after point.

The group in the gentler Fritz corner was more selective in their celebrations.

For Tiafoe, who grew up in Maryland, it was the second time he had reached a major semifinal, having lost to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz in New York two years ago. Fritz, a Californian, had never been past the quarterfinals at one of the sport’s four most prestigious tournaments, but on his way to Friday he beat a trio of guys who have a combined six Grand Slam runner-up finishes: Casper Ruud, Alexander Zverev and Matteo Berrettini.

Fritz started well on Friday, hitting serves as fast as 217 km/h before Tiafoe rallied to win five games in a row. Soon that set was Tiafoe’s. In the next set, Fritz – who had entered that match with a 6-1 lead – was nearly perfect, winning 24 of 25 service points and hitting 8 of 8 at the net. Again, Tiafoe quickly rallied and started the third set with a break, which proved to be enough for that set as he did not allow Fritz even a single break chance. Tiafoe gave away the final game of the fourth set, making two double faults and netting a drop shot, part of an 11-point run for Fritz that contributed to his big lead in the fifth set.

There is no doubt which finalist will receive loud support on Sunday.

Last month, news came out that sinner failed two drug tests eight days apart in March, but was acquitted because he said traces of an anabolic steroid – an ingredient in a non-prescription remedy for cuts in Italy — inadvertently entered his system via a message from a team member he has since fired. This whole episode was a constant topic of conversation as he worked his way through the US Open round.

The longer the points held between Sinner and Draper – who are friends and played doubles together at an event in August – the more the Italian’s match went in his favour as the match dragged on for more than three hours.

He is one of the purest hitters in men’s tennis today, and while Draper’s left-handed power and good hands – whether following his serves to the net or simply finding other opportunities for volleys, he won 22 of the 34 points when he went forward – showed some improvement, Sinner got better and better the longer the rallies went on.

Sinner scored the point on 50 of 80 shots that lasted nine or more strokes.

“Jannik plays at such a high level,” said Draper, “all the time.”

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