The US Open final on the men’s side is finally set after Jannik Sinner and Taylor Fritz downed Jack Draper and Frances Tiafoe in the tournament’s semi-final earlier today.
Sinner will be looking to improve his 5-0 record on tour-level title matches this 2024; the Italian, having already won in Melbourne, Rotterdam, Cincinnati, Halle and Miami. The win also made him the first Italian to reach the US Open final.
At the same time, Sinner has reached rarified air after the contest, becoming the only man since Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray to win 22+ Grand Slam wins in a single season.
Fritz, on the other hand, triumphed in an all-American clash (4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1) against Tiafoe as he reached his first major final.
The 26-year-old also became the first American to reach the final of the US Open since Andy Roddick did so back in 2006.
Hard-fought triumphs
Regardless of the match being over in straight sets, Sinner’s semi-final win was anything but a breeze.
Lasting a little over three hours, both players suffered physically, and Sinner had to up his mental strength to push through.
“Me and Jack know each other very well. We are friends off the court. It was a very physical match as we see and I just tried to stay there mentally,” he said.
Both players were tit-for-tat in the first set, with Draper putting his Italian counterpart on the back foot after taking two straight games to lead 4-5.
Back-to-back errors from Sinner in the 10th game gave Draper the deuce, nearing the chance to break for the set point. But Sinner did not yield and won two consecutive points, finishing the game with an ace.
Yet another hard-fought game proceeded afterwards with both men unrelenting. However, Draper’s errors—including three double faults in the game—sealed the break point for Sinner, whilst the last game of the first set proved to be a mere procession as the Italian took the opening act.
The match continued to be tight all the way through the second set, as Draper had the chance to close it out on two occasions, but failed nonetheless as the physicality of the match—and the humidity—took its toll on the 22-year-old, vomiting several times during the set.
And it wasn’t just the Brit who had to battle through something in the match, as Sinner hurt his left wrist when he fell down in the same set as well.
However, it would become apparent that whatever’s left in Draper’s tank was all used up in the first two sets, with Sinner easing through in the end.
Sinner—who, despite the win, is still viewed by some in a bad light after his failed drug test—finished the match with 43 winners, 11 aces and a big advantage on first and second serve percentages.
Meanwhile, Taylor Fritz made a statement in his come-from-behind victory over his fellow American, with Tiafoe pushing him all the way to a decider.
Both ranked inside the Top 20, this was the eighth match contested between the two, with Fritz winning all but one.
Fritz went firing right out of the gates as he took an early 3-0 lead. But Tiafoe would compose himself and counteract with five straight games of his own, before closing Fritz out on his serve.
The second set was filled with US Open 2024 highlights, with both players unable to break each other’s serve up until Fritz did so in the 12th game.
The fourth set was back and forth once more before Fritz found a lifeline during Tiafoe’s serve at 5-4, with the latter leading at 15-40 on his own serve.
Two consecutive double faults and a mishit on a forehand gave Fritz the set point, followed by a missed drop shot, and the match headed to a deciding set. Sadly, exhaustion finally caught up on Tiafoe and he was unable to sustain his earlier form.
An exciting final awaits
The SBOTOP US Open 2024 odds will rightfully favour Sinner, but I’d remiss to think that this one won’t be one for the books. Sinner and Fritz have only had two matches between them—both at Indian Wells—and are tied at one win apiece.
Sinner will have the advantage, but it would not be shocking if Fritz makes him work for it. Miss this match at your own peril.
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