NEW YORK — When Taylor Fritz, a 26-year-old from California, and Frances Tiafoe, a 26-year-old from Maryland, strode under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights Friday night for the first U.S. Open semifinal matching two American men in 19 years, the crowd might have been forgiven for not knowing which to support.
There was a burst of clapping right before the initial point, a curtain-raiser befitting the show about to unfold. Once the contest got going, maybe the momentum shifts made it tough to choose between a pair of close pals who’ve known each other since they were playing tournaments for kids younger than 14.
In the end, the roars were for Fritz, who surged with a six-game run against a fading and frustrated Tiafoe to come out on top 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 and reach his first Grand Slam final.
“It’s the reason why I do what I do,” Fritz told the fans, his voice cracking during a post-match interview. “It’s the reason why I work so hard.”
The No. 12-seeded Fritz’s seventh victory in eight professional meetings against No. 20 Tiafoe earned a showdown against No. 1 Jannik Sinner for the championship on Sunday.
“He was overwhelming from the baseline so much … and I just tried to tell myself to stay in it and fight,” said Fritz, who was two games from losing in the fourth set. “I told myself that if I didn’t give it absolutely everything I had — to just stick with it and see if his level might drop a little bit — then I was going to regret it for a long time.”
He will be the first U.S. man to appear in a major final since Andy Roddick lost to Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2009. And if he can get past Sinner, Fritz would become the first U.S. man to win a Slam trophy since Roddick got his 21 years ago at the U.S. Open.
“It’s a dream come true. I’m in the final. So I’m going to come out and give everything I can possibly give,” Fritz said. “I can’t wait.”
From 4-all in the fourth set Friday, he seized control as Tiafoe’s strokes and usual confidence betrayed him. After Tiafoe’s double-fault handed over a break to make it 4-0 in the fifth, more than three hours into the proceedings, he chucked his racket. Fritz repaid the favor by double-faulting to end the next game, but broke right back and soon it was over. They met at the net for an embrace.
Sinner, a 23-year-old from Italy exonerated in a doping case less than three weeks ago, finished off a 7-5, 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory over No. 25 Jack Draper on Friday that featured simultaneous treatment of both competitors by trainers deep in the 1 1/2-hour second set.
“It was a very physical match, as we see,” said Sinner, who won the Australian Open in January. “I just tried to stay there mentally.”
He got his left wrist massaged after falling during a point he managed to win; Draper needed medical attention after vomiting twice in a game with the temperature in the high 70s and the humidity above 60%. During that break in the action, a vacuum was used to clear the ground behind the baseline and finish the cleaning job Draper, a 22-year-old from Britain, tried to do himself by wiping his, um, mess with a towel.
There was none of that sort of drama away from the actual play in Tiafoe vs. Fritz.
The respective guest boxes seemed to reflect the players’ contrasting personalities. The excitable Tiafoe would mark a key moment by shaking a raised fist or gritting his teeth or wagging his racket or nodding while strutting to the sideline, and his entourage — including coach David Witt, who worked with Venus Williams for many years, as well as Jessica Pegula, the American in the U.S. Open women’s final Saturday against Aryna Sabalenka — stood and got noisy, point after point after point.
The group in the more mild-mannered Fritz’s corner was more selective in its celebrations.
Fritz had never been past the quarterfinals at one of his sport’s four most prestigious events until now, but this journey included wins over a trio of guys with a combined six Slam runner-up showings: Casper Ruud, Alexander Zverev and Matteo Berrettini.
Fritz started well Friday, smacking serves at up to 135 mph, before Tiafoe gathered himself and grabbed five games in a row. In the next set, Fritz was pretty much perfect, winning 24 of 25 service points and going 8 for 8 at the net. Tiafoe regrouped quickly, breaking to begin the third, which turned out to be enough for that set, because he never allowed Fritz so much as one break chance. Tiafoe appeared to lose steam after losing one particular 31-stroke point — the longest of the match — midway through the fourth, then gave away that set’s last game by double-faulting twice and netting a drop shot.
There’s no doubt which finalist will get more vocal support Sunday.
Word emerged last month that Sinner failed two drug tests eight days apart in March but was cleared because he said the trace amounts of an anabolic steroid — an ingredient in a treatment for cuts sold over-the-counter in Italy — entered his system unintentionally via a massage from a team member he since has fired. That whole episode has been a constant topic of conversation as he progressed through the U.S. Open bracket.
Sinner is as pure a ball-striker as there is in the men’s game at the moment and got better as exchanges grew longer, taking the point on 50 of 80 that lasted nine or more strokes.
“Jannik plays at such a high level,” Draper said, “all the time.”
