As the likes of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Carlos Alcaraz among others have dominated the men’s singles field over the last few decades, the absence of American players in recent men’s Grand Slam finals has become apparent. An American man hasn’t played in a Grand Slam final in fifteen years, but that streak will come to an end this Sunday night.

Defeating the No. 20 seed Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals of the 2024 US Open, SoCal’s own Taylor Fritz of Rancho Santa Fe made history on Friday, clinching his first career appearance in a Grand Slam final. Even more special for Fritz, this accomplishment comes on home soil in front of friends and family.

AN ALL-AMERICAN SEMIFINAL

Friday’s match was one for the ages, drawing in millions of viewers worldwide, as a sold out crowd filled Arthur Ashe Stadium to watch Americans Fritz and Tiafoe battle. More than just a Grand Slam semifinal, this match guaranteed that an American male would advance to the US Open finals, marking the first Grand Slam final appearance for either player if victorious. 

Entering the match, this was Tiafoe’s deepest run at the US Open since 2022, when he was defeated by eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals in a five set thriller. Knowing the feeling of being so close to triumph, Tiafoe understood the importance that every point was going to play this time around. 

Touted as the top American male talent, Fritz has struggled on the big stage over recent years, never reaching a semifinal of a Grand Slam until now. 

Kicking off the match by winning three consecutive games, Fritz looked like the version of himself that everyone saw Wednesday night. His aggression, lively serve, and overall technicality to open the contest were the same traits that aided him in taking down the No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev two nights prior. 

What looked like a quick start to a decisive first set victory for Fritz quickly flipped on its head, as Tiafoe fought back to win five straight games. Tiafoe would later claim his sixth game and the set by a score of 6-4, taking control of the match with a 1-0 lead. 

Fritz began to rally back and come to form in the second set, taking a 5-4 lead as the match eclipsed its first hour. After Tiafoe tied the score at five games each, Fritz dug deep and played as dominant as ever over the next two games. He won the first of which with five straight points, before forcing a double fault from Tiafoe to close out that second game and the set, 7-5. This win tied up the overall score at 1-1. 

Proving to be a back-and-forth showdown, Fritz and Tiafoe continued to put on a spectacle for the fans in a pivotal third set. Taking control early in a set for the first time in the match, Tiafoe kept the pressure on Fritz, winning three of the first four games. Although starting to chip away over the next couple of games, Fritz could not escape the hole he fell in, dropping the third set, 6-4. 

Now down 2-1, Fritz would need to have a stellar fourth set in order to keep his hopes alive. Trading victories through the first eight games, Fritz and Tiafoe were locked in with the games’ score even at 4-4. This would not be possible without one of the most significant points of the entire match coming in the seventh game. Here, Fritz outlasted Tiafoe during a 31-shot rally, beginning to exploit the Marylander’s endurance and gain momentum.

As the energy seemingly shifted in the air following a short break, Fritz began to capitalize on a draining Tiafoe, clinching his fifth game in convincing fashion. Needing just one more game to force a fifth set, Fritz took full advantage of Tiafoe’s struggles as it related to him closing out the game. Fritz would come back from 40-15, winning his sixth game and his second set of the match. Fritz’ 6-4 victory in the fourth set pushed the match to a deciding fifth set, kickstarting the pair’s third hour on court. 

With Tiafoe’s energy continuing to dwindle, Fritz was as good as ever, especially in the fifth set. Capping off a six-game run from the end of the fourth to the beginning of the fifth set, Fritz jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the clincher. Each taking a win over the next two games, Fritz sat one measly game away from making history with the score at 5-1. Leaving everything on the court, Fritz claimed victory in the next game, clinching the set by a score of 6-1, and more importantly, the match. 

As the scoreboard gleamed over Arthur Ashe Stadium at 11:03 pm EDT, the near three-and-a-half hour contest was final. Taylor Fritz had defeated long time friend and competitor Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, earning his place in the 2024 US Open men’s singles finals. 

The victory now proves to be Fritz’s seventh in eight professional career contests with Tiafoe. 

“It’s the reason why I do what I do. It’s the reason why I work so hard,” a teary-eyed Fritz shared following his semifinals win. “I mean, I’m in the finals of the US Open.”

FRITZ’S RUN THUS FAR

The highest seeded American in the tournament, all eyes have been on Fritz over the past few weeks. Ranked No. 12, his victory on Friday night marked his sixth win of the tournament. Earlier, Fritz secured an impressive upset over Zverev in the quarterfinals, defeated No. 8 seed Casper Ruud in the fourth round, overcame Francisco Comesana in the third round, triumphed over Matteo Berrettini in the second round, and won his opening match against Camilo Ugo Carabelli. His match against Tiafoe would prove to be the only thus far that has gone the distance. Fritz’s first three victories all came in straight sets, while the two following each needed four. 

CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY 

Now, Fritz shifts his sights to Sunday, where he will take on one of the most electric players in the sport today, No. 1 overall seeded Jannik Sinner. The senior of the two, 26 year-old Fritz will battle the 23 year-old Sinner in their third career matchup. Most recently squaring off in 2023 at Indian Wells, Sinner got the better of Fritz, winning the match in straight sets. The overall record between the two sits at one win a piece, with Fritz getting the upper hand in 2021 also at Indian Wells. 

“I’m gonna come out and give everything I possibly have and I know that for a fact,” Fritz discussed when asked about his thoughts regarding Sunday’s final. “I can’t wait.” 

Sunday’s match will be held at Arthur Ashe Stadium and will be broadcast live on ESPN. The start time is currently scheduled for 2 p.m. Eastern Time / 11 a.m. Pacific Time.

HISTORY

When Fritz takes the court Sunday, he will be the first American male since Andy Roddick in 2009 to compete in a Grand Slam final, and the first since Roddick in 2006 to compete in a US Open final. 

The last Southern California man before Fritz to reach a Grand Slam final came when Pete Sampras did so in 2002. He also proved to be the most recent winner, capturing his fifth US Open singles title that year when he took down Andre Agassi by a score of 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. 

If able to knock off Sinner, Fritz would become the first American man to win a Slam trophy since Roddick took home the championship at the 2003 US Open. 

He would also become the eighth Southern California male to win the US Open, joining the likes of Sampras, Ricardo “Pancho” Gonzales, Jack Kramer, Maurice “The California Comet” McLoughlin, Frank Parker, Bobby Riggs and Henry “Ellsworth” Vines. 

With fellow American Jessica Pegula also advancing to the US Open finals, Fritz and Pegula are the first man and woman from the States to reach their respective singles championships at the event since 2002. That year, Americans Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Serena Williams, and Venus Williams all made it to the finals.

Fritz’ biggest win of his career so far came in 2022, as he defeated Rafael Nadal to win the men’s singles title at Indian Wells. The underdog in the finale, Fritz demonstrated how he has overcome adversity on the grandest stages, something he will need to do Sunday in order to bring that illustrious trophy home to SoCal.