Taylor Fritz is into his first slam final, defeating Frances Tiafoe in five sets 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the U.S. Open championship match.
Taylor Fritz pulled off an incredible comeback after being down two sets to one, forcing a fifth set and ultimately winning the All-American semifinal.
Fritz’s serve was crucial in his comeback. In the final two sets, he was only broken once. He maintained a 58 percent first-serve accuracy throughout the match and won 75 percent of his first-serve points. As the match progressed, Fritz appeared to be the fresher player, delivering powerful shots from the baseline and keeping Tiafoe on the run.
Tiafoe, on the other hand, served exceptionally well in the first three sets, but his first-serve percentage dipped in the fourth set. After losing the longest rally of the match—a grueling 31-shot exchange—Tiafoe seemed to tire. Down 4-5 in the fourth, he was broken to lose the set. In the fifth set, Tiafoe's fatigue became evident as his movement slowed and his serve faltered, leading to three breaks of serve. It’s a missed opportunity for Tiafoe to reach his first Grand Slam final, especially after his semifinal loss at the U.S. Open two years ago to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.
For Fritz, this marks a significant milestone as he reaches the U.S. Open final, having never before made it past a Grand Slam semifinal. He will face world No. 1 Jannik Sinner on Sunday for the U.S. Open title.
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