NEW YORK: Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz set up a blockbuster all-American showdown in the US Open final four on Tuesday as compatriot Emma Navarro reached the women’s semi-finals to boost home hopes of a title sweep.

The 20th seed Tiafoe progressed when ninth-ranked Grigor Dimitrov suffered an injury in the third set of their quarter-final and quit in the fourth with the score at 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 4-1.

Tiafoe also made the last four in 2022 while Fritz reached his first Grand Slam semi-final by defeating fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev 7-6 (7/2), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3).

Navarro, playing in front of her home New York crowd, broke through to a maiden Slam semi-final by defeating Paula Badosa of Spain 6-2, 7-5 after coming back from 5-1 down in the second set.

She will tackle world number two and reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, who brushed aside Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen 6-1, 6-2.

With Tiafoe and Fritz clashing on Friday, the US is guaranteed a home men’s finalist for the first time since 2006 when Andy Roddick was defeated by Roger Federer.

Both Tiafoe and Fritz are bidding to end American fans’ 21-year wait for a homegrown men’s champion at a Grand Slam after Roddick’s triumph in New York in 2003.

It will be the first all-American men’s major semi-final since Andre Agassi beat Robby Ginepri at the 2005 U.S. Open.

“It’s not the way I wanted to win even if I’m happy to get through to the semi-finals,” said Tiafoe of Dimitrov’s injury. “It was a very high-level match. But I’m happy to be through.

“Another semi-final here. Incredible. You’re going to see me against another American, it’s going to be great. It will be the biggest match of our careers.”

Dimitrov, 33, sought treatment off court after the third set but was reduced to walking pace in the fourth as his hopes slipped away.

The Bulgarian was reluctant to discuss the specifics of his injury after a thigh problem forced him to also quit his last-16 match at Wimbledon in July.

“I think it’s a combination from everything. I think there’s really no point to talk about that. It’s just the game, and I need to keep my head up,” he said.

Zverev’s defeat to Fritz means world number one Jannik Sinner is the only top-four player left in the men’s draw following the shock early exits of Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.

Fritz claimed a tight first set in a tiebreak after the two towering players wowed fans with a mixture of powerful baseline blasts and drop shots and winners at the net.

Zverev roared back to level the match in the next, energised by one of the shots of the tournament, a curling return from out wide that sailed over the net post and landed on both lines but Fritz seized back momentum to reach his maiden major semi-final.

“I have had a few looks at Grand Slam quarter-finals over the years so I felt it was my turn to take a step further,” said the 26-year-old Fritz, who cracked 12 aces amongst his 45 winners in his victory. “It’s cool I’m in the semis. But I very much have the mindset of the job’s not done.” Germany’s Zverev had been attempting to reach his ninth semi-final at the Slams and third in New York.

“Terrible. Just absolutely terrible by me,” he said of his performance. “I did nothing to deserve the win, simple as that.”

SABALENKA ROARS INTO SEMIS

Navarro insisted she always believed she could claw her way back from a 5-1 second- set deficit against New York-born Badosa.

“Things weren’t looking great there in the second set, but just tried to be really tough, stick in there,” said Navarro, who had lost in the first round on her only other two appearances at the tournament. “When I got to 5-2 I had an inkling that I’d win in two sets.”

One of two US women left in the tournament, Navarro snatched an early break to go 3-0 up in the first set and then turned aside two break points to take it convincingly.

Navarro, who beat defending champion Coco Gauff in the previous round, stunned a suddenly error-prone Badosa by claiming 24 of the last 28 points of the match to seal the win in 72 minutes.

“I was a complete disaster today,” said Badosa after committing 35 unforced errors.

Second seed Sabalenka needed only an hour and 13 minutes to dismantle Zheng Qinwen, before jokingly promising fans free drinks for their support in that match.

The Belarusian has lost only four service games through the tournament to emerge as the firm favourite to add another major title to her two Australian Open trophies after losing the Flushing Meadows final to Gauff a year ago.

“If you get to the top-five level, everyone will take you as a favourite,” said Sabalenka. “But as I always say, it’s not about being the favourite, it’s about how hard you’re ready to fight for it. It’s going to be (about) the tough moments in the matches when you don’t feel your best and you have to go through it. But I’m really glad they take me as a favourite and I’ll do my very best to hold this beautiful trophy.”

Zheng was bidding to become the third Chinese woman to reach the US Open semi-finals after Li Na in 2013 and Peng Shuai in 2014.

She said the record late finish to her last-16 clash which finished at 2:15 am on Monday had impacted her performance. She said she only went to bed at 5:00 am.

“I couldn’t sleep after I finished the match 2:30 in the morning. I’m not able to practice yesterday because I was feeling terrible,” said Zheng.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2024