NEW YORK: Taylor Fritz held on to beat Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in a blockbuster all-American semi-final at the US Open on Friday and will take on the role of the underdog when he meets Italian top seed Jannik Sinner in the finale.

It’s the first time in 15 years that an American man has reached a major final and both Fritz and Tiafoe wanted to be the one to break the barren streak. But Fritz had the legs to go the distance with 16 aces while Tiafoe lost steam in the fourth set.

It capped an action-packed programme at Arthur Ashe Stadium, as Sinner took down ailing Briton Jack Draper 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2, overcoming muggy conditions in a chaotic match.

Fritz and Sinner, who are deadlocked 1-1 in career head-to-head, will meet on Sunday.

“It’s a dream come true, I’m in the final so I’m going to come out and give everything I possibly have and I know that for a fact,” an emotional Fritz said after the match. “I’m going to give it everything I can possibly give.”

Andy Roddick was the last American to make a men’s singles final at the Slams at Wimbledon in 2009. He was also the last man from the country to capture a major title when he won the 2003 US Open.

Fritz got a 0-3 head start in the first set but Tiafoe showed he would not be pushed around as he broke back from the baseline in the fifth game and outlasted Fritz in a 16-shot rally to take the lead in the seventh game.

The longer rallies gave way to quick points in the second set, where Fritz held to love in five straight service games and put up just three unforced errors before breaking Tiafoe with a terrific drop shot on set point.

Tiafoe got his revenge as he sent a forehand winner down the line to go up a break in the opening game of the third set and he raised his fist in satisfaction after taking the frame.

Tiafoe began to show signs of fatigue in the fourth set after an epic, 31-shot rally in the seventh game and he helped Fritz to the break in the 10th with a pair of double faults and a couple of unforced errors.

An exhausted Tiafoe tossed his racket in frustration after a double fault on break point saw him trailing 0-4 in the final set.

He got on the board when he broke Fritz in the fifth game but that sliver of momentum evaporated quickly and Fritz smiled after closing it out with an ace as Tiafoe slumped to a second US Open semi-final loss in his last three visits.

“It’s tough to swallow, it’s going to hurt,” said Tiafoe. “I thought I was the better player but in the fourth set I had some cramps. My body kind of shut down on me. Probably to do with nerves.”

Earlier, in a gruelling three-hour match, Draper, the first British man in the semi-finals since Andy Murray won the title in 2012, was undone by 10 double faults and 43 unforced errors.

He also vomited on the court, blaming anxiety for the illness.

“Jack and I know each other very well, we are great friends off court,” said Sinner, who unleashed 43 winners in the match where he also injured his wrist in a nasty fall. “It was a very physical match. He’s so tough to beat so I’m excited to be in the final.”

The 23-year-old Sinner added: “In the final, it will be a very tough challenge. I’m happy to be in that position because if you are in the final on a Sunday it means you are doing an amazing job.”

World number 25 Draper vowed to work on overcoming his anxiety which sabotaged his hopes on Friday.

“When you play the top players, the intensity is different. It’s a step up. It was a big occasion for me. I definitely felt more nerves around,” he said.

“I’m quite an anxious human being. I think when you add all that together sometimes I do feel a bit nauseous on court, and I feel a little bit sick when it gets tough.”

Despite both men having been born in 2001, Sinner was playing in his 20th Grand Slam event. Draper, plagued by ankle and shoulder troubles in the early stages of his career, was competing at the majors for just the 10th time.

“I try my best all the time to keep evolving, to keep learning, and it’s definitely something I’ve had to just work through my whole entire life,” added Draper of his struggles.

Earlier in the day, Ukraine’s Lyudmyla Kichenok became a Grand Slam champion, just two days after cancelling her wedding.

Kichenok, 32, teamed up with Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko to beat Kristina Mladenovic and Zhang Shuai 6-4, 6-3 in the women’s doubles final.

On Wednesday, she had been planning to marry boyfriend Stas Khmarsky who is also Ostapenko’s coach.

But a run to the championship match for the seventh seeds meant the ceremony was temporarily shelved.

“My boyfriend and I were supposed to get married on Wednesday but it didn’t happen,” said Kichenok. “We actually had the appointment but I was playing the semi-finals.”

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2024