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Taylor Fritz, the world number 12, rewrote tennis history books by becoming the first American men’s singles player after Andy Roddick to reach a Grand Slam final in 15 years on a Friday night in New York City. The 26-year-old got the better of his compatriot Francis Tiafoe in the semi-final of the US Open at the Flushing Meadows, in a five-set thriller, with the scoreline reading 4-6 7-5 4-6 6-4 6-1, to set up a mouth-watering final versus world number one Jannik Sinner from Italy this coming Sunday.
The fans at the Arthur Ashe Stadium were treated to some exquisite back-and-forth tennis by two of their very own for three hours and 21 minutes. After Taylor Fritz turned professional in tennis in 2015, he played some of his best tennis in the bright lights of the Big Apple against Francis Tiafoe, getting a step closer to becoming a Grand Slam champion for the first-time in his young career.
Taylor Fritz won bronze medal alongside Tommy Paul at Paris Olympics 2024
Before his epic campaign at the ongoing US Open, Taylor Fritz’s best finish at a Grand Slam was the quarter-final stage, which happened twice at Wimbledon, and once at the Australian Open. The American has won only eight titles in his professional tennis career in nearly a decade, but one of his greatest accomplishments came at the Paris Olympics earlier this year, where he won a bronze medal alongside Tommy Paul in the men’s doubles competition.
Taylor Fritz’s highest ranking on the ATP circuit is five, which he reached on February 27, 2023, after winning the Delray Beach Open at the expense of Miomir Kecmanovic from Serbia. After becoming the world number 12 player in men’s singles, the American has been on an absolute tear in his home Grand Slam, which might propel him to the best ranking of his entire tennis career.
Andy Roddick is last American men's singles player to win Grand Slam title way back in 2003
With Andy Roddick also being the last American men’s singles Grand Slam winner, clinching the US Open title way back in 2003, Taylor Fritz has a great opportunity to follow in his footsteps in just a day’s time. Regardless of the result in the upcoming US Open men’s singles final versus Jannik Sinner of Italy, Taylor Fritz has won over the American crowd with his emphatic play over the last fortnight, and his stardom is only expected to grow in times to come.
