Preview: Fritz, Tiafoe’s all-American SF, can Draper upset Sinner at US Open? | ATP Tour

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Preview: Fritz, Tiafoe’s all-American SF, can Draper upset Sinner at US Open?

Final-four clashes to happen Friday at hard-court main in New York

September 05, 2024

No American has reached the lads’s singles remaining on the US Open since 2006. On Friday, Taylor Fritz or Frances Tiafoe will finish that drought in New York.

The 2 gamers will step out onto Arthur Ashe Stadium in entrance of their dwelling followers for an intriguing semi-final conflict on the hard-court main. In addition to a matchup between Fritz’s serve-dominated sport and Tiafoe’s means to redirect an opponent’s energy to his benefit, it’s going to even be a duel between two shut mates which have performed a significant function within the resurgence of American males’s tennis in recent times.

“Taylor and I had a dialog about being No. 1, No. 2 Individuals for a really very long time,” stated Tiafoe forward of the primary all-American Grand Slam semi-final since Andre Agassi defeated Robby Ginepri in 2005. “I keep in mind we have been sitting on a airplane some years in the past, and he is a fairly to-himself sort of dude, and he is, like, ‘Bro, I feel me and you’ll be one, two Individuals and main the way in which.”

Competing on the US Open because the main American within the PIF ATP Rankings, Fritz has expertly dealt with the strain up to now this fortnight as he bids to turn into the primary dwelling males’s singles champion since Andy Roddick in 2003. The 26-year-old has dropped simply two units throughout his 5 matches up to now, eliminating Matteo Berrettini, Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev within the course of.

After dropping his first 4 main quarter-finals, the way in which Fritz held his nerve to beat Zverev in 4 units to achieve his maiden semi-final was notably spectacular. Nevertheless, the eight-time ATP Tour champion has no intention of resting on his laurels.

“The emotional stage is down,” stated Fritz. “It is cool I am within the semis, however I very a lot have the mindset of ‘The job’s not accomplished’, and I maintain taking it one match at a time like I have been all match and concentrate on the following match forward of me.”

Semi Closing No.1⃣ @usopen 🎾@Taylor_Fritz97 🆚 @FTiafoe

Try Fritz’s #Insights card from the previous 52 weeks on the @atptour 👇

How will Tiafoe match up in opposition to him on this all-American showdown❓#TennisInsights | @atptour pic.twitter.com/o7bhkVICeL

— Tennis Insights (@tennis_insights) September 5, 2024

Fritz enters the conflict with historical past on his aspect. The twelfth seed holds a 6-1 Lexus ATP Head2Head report in opposition to Tiafoe, a tally which incorporates victory within the pair’s solely Grand Slam assembly on the 2022 Australian Open. But Tiafoe, who reached his maiden ATP Masters 1000 remaining in Cincinnati earlier this month, believes previous encounters could have little bearing on Friday’s conflict in New York.

“It is totally different on Ashe, man,” stated Tiafoe, who additionally reached the US Open semi-finals in 2022. “It is totally different. Clearly it’s important to be taught from these [defeats]. I imply, couple of these I assumed I really ought to have received. He is robust, man. He is a tricky participant. He performs nice from either side, has an ideal serve, he is transferring a lot better now. It may be robust.”

In addition to turning into the primary American males’s singles finalist since Roddick in 2006, whoever triumphs in Friday’s semi-final may also considerably enhance their hopes of reaching the Nitto ATP Finals. At the moment seventh within the PIF ATP Dwell Race To Turin, Fritz would rise to fourth by reaching the championship match. Tiafoe, who has by no means certified for the celebrated season finale, will rise from 14th to tenth within the Dwell Race if he can defeat Fritz.

Sinner Eyes Revenge In opposition to Purple-hot Draper
After years beset with damage struggles, has Jack Draper’s big-stage second lastly arrived?

The Briton has stormed to his maiden main semi-final with out dropping a set this fortnight on the US Open, the place World No. 1 Jannik Sinner stands in his manner within the final 4. For the 22-year-old Draper, a junior rival and good friend of Sinner’s, his breakout main run in New York has come as a reward for years of perseverance.

“I’ve had instances after I’ve possibly thought to cease or, ‘Am I minimize out for this sport? Am I actually ok?’ And all this type of stuff,” mirrored Draper, who received his maiden ATP Tour title in June in Stuttgart, after easing previous Alex de Minaur in straight units within the quarter-finals. “I stored on believing in myself, stored on working.

“These are arduous moments. This isn’t a tough second in comparison with that. This can be a privilege, and that is an honour to be on this place. For this reason I work so arduous, so I’ve bought to simply maintain it moving into my stride. I am not afraid of being in these positions.”

But to drop a set. ❄️@jackdraper0 downs de Minaur 6-3 7-5 6-2 to advance into the #USOpen semi-finals!@usopen pic.twitter.com/02J7v9bMKG

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 4, 2024

So can Draper preserve his spectacular kind to upset the World No. 1 and turn into the primary British males’s singles US Open finalist since Andy Murray lifted the trophy in 2012? The lefty, who has already assured he’ll crack the High 20 of the PIF ATP Rankings subsequent Monday together with his New York run, triumphed in his solely earlier Lexus ATP Head2Head assembly with Sinner on the Queen’s Membership in 2021.

Even previous to that assembly on the London grass, Sinner was aware of Draper’s sport. The Italian recollects seeing the Briton compete as a junior, and he is aware of he might need to adapt to the distinctive problem that his opponent’s big-serving, heavy-hitting lefty sport poses.

“I do not keep in mind enjoying in opposition to him… However I do keep in mind seeing him from exterior,” stated Sinner of Draper after defeating Daniil Medvedev within the quarter-finals. “Clearly lefty, it is also robust to see, as there are fewer lefties than righties. You already know, his ball placing was at all times very, excellent.

“It may be a tricky match. He hasn’t misplaced one set but. He is enjoying nice. He is serving nice. I noticed additionally the match in the present day, he is hitting very, very robust. So it is going to be robust match however I am trying ahead to it and hopefully it is going to be a very good match.”

By beating Medvedev in New York, Sinner accomplished the set of reaching the semi-finals in any respect 4 Grand Slam tournaments. The Australian Open champion clearly holds the benefit over his last-four opponent Draper by way of expertise on the tail finish of Grand Slams, however he might be cautious of the Briton’s weapons in what might be probably the most high-powered matchups of the Grand Slam season.