Tennis: Fritz meets Sinner in the US Open final

Taylor Fritz has won the American semi-final duel at the US Open and is challenging top favorite Jannik Sinner for the title. The 26-year-old Alexander Zverev’s conqueror beat Frances Tiafoe 4:6, 7:5, 4:6, 6:4, 6:1 in New York and is in a Grand Slam final for the first time in his career.

On Sunday, Fritz has the chance to become the first male American tennis player to win the US Open since Andy Roddick 21 years ago. “That’s why I’m doing this,” Fritz said through tears. “A dream come true. I’m going to give everything I can give.”

At the net, Fritz patted his US colleague on the chest after converting the match point and tried to cheer Tiafoe up. “He overwhelmed me from the baseline. I just tried to,” said Fritz. Tiafoe had already lost his first US Open semifinal in 2022 against Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in five sets.

After the four-set victory over Zverev in the quarterfinals, Fritz was quickly back in front with 3:0. But Tiafoe came back into the game immediately and fired up the crowd after his first break. The fans were more on the side of the spectacular Tiafoe. When a forehand from Fritz sailed into the stands and Tiafoe won the first set after 45 minutes, many spectators jumped up in excitement.

In the second set, Tiafoe wobbled in the final phase, but did not let that slow him down and won the third set again. Fritz secured one of the key points of the match: with the score at 3:3 in the fourth set, he fought his opponents down, the ball went over the net 31 times, and in the end Tiafoe simply stood there, exhausted.

The 26-year-old could not go on and was 0:4 behind in the deciding set. Fritz was nervous again for a moment, but after 3:18 hours he scored the final point with an ace.

Sinner, the world’s number one player, had previously won with plenty of drama against Briton Jack Draper 7:5, 7:6 (7:3), 6:2. Sinner fell on his left wrist in the second set and had to be treated. His British opponents vomited several times on the court during the party and spoke afterwards about the fears they feel in such big matches.