Fritz outlasts Tiafoe over five sets in all-American clash to reach US Open final
It wasn’t a matter of as an American man would play in the final of the US Open; it was a matter of WHO.
After a grueling five-set semifinal, Taylor Fritz defeated Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 to become the first American man to play for a Grand Slam singles title on home soil in 18 years. On Sunday, Fritz will face World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who survived his own gut-check match against Britain’s Jake Draper. In their two career meetings, both in Indian Wells, Fritz and Sinner have split the difference, with the Italian winning their most recent encounter in 2023. While Sinner, the reigning Australian Open champion, has already shrugged off the pressure from his country, Fritz enters the final with the impossible task of leading U.S. men’s tennis back to its former glory. On Friday, he showed there’s not much he won’t do in his quest for glory — even if it means running over his best friend.
Since Fritz and Tiafoe were made for this moment, coming up together in the USTA system, it was only a matter of time before they came together for the highest stakes. The clash that followed was not only close, separated by a handful of points until Fritz broke away in the fifth; it was tense. Both men strained at times under the weight of the moment as the American crowd struggled to decide which American to support. In the end, Fritz proved the best at holding his nerve, protecting his serve and punishing the ball with a wicked forehand that sapped the spring out of Tiafoe’s step.
Early on, he fired from the baseline as an anxious Tiafoe searched for rhythm. Fritz used short rallies to take a 3-0 lead in the first set. He was on the verge of a 4-0 lead when Tiafoe unleashed a convincing crosscourt winner that roused the crowd, the oxygen that fuels his inner flame when he plays center court. Tiafoe broke Fritz in that match and ticked off victories in the next three, pushing his opponent across the court and even putting him on the blue surface during a shaky rally. Fritz fought back for a break chance, but then Tiafoe served two blistering aces to take a 5-3 lead. On his next attempt, he held on without conceding a point to take set one—the first set he’d won from Fritz in two years and only the fourth in 19 tries.
Both players held serve to a 4-4 tie in the second set, until Fritz had a chance to break for the lead. In a furious exchange, the players traded net cords before Tiafoe ended the rally with a net volley response that sailed over the baseline. When a second break chance materialized at 5-5, Fritz applied pressure to Tiafoe’s serve and drop shots – an attempt to send Fritz on the run. But Fritz was up to the challenge, hitting a pair of groundstrokes to get out of the tight spot, and then denying Tiafoe a point on his serve to level the match. But Tiafoe wouldn’t let the adversity last, scoring an early break and holding on for a two sets to one lead.
When play resumed, the players dug in even deeper, the weight of the moment sinking in. The evening’s exchange was a 31-shot rally that saw both players display impressive fitness, shot variety and a stubborn unwillingness to give ground – but it may have cost Tiafoe too much. After Fritz won that point and traded service games with his compatriot, Tiafoe double-faulted twice to give Fritz a set point – and then missed a drop shot to draw Fritz level in the match.
In the fifth set, Tiafoe could no longer hide the signs of wear and tear, and his once formidable service game broke down. Fritz broke him twice to take a 4-0 lead, the decisive points coming on a double fault that had Tiafoe hitting his racket in disgust. Then Fritz double-faulted to give Tiafoe a lifeline—but he was too exhausted to score, and dropped his serve again to extend Fritz’s lead to 5-1. That was effectively the end for Tiafoe, who will still be feeling the pain of this defeat for a while. At least he can say he took one for the team.