Wants to become the first American in a Grand Slam final in 15 years. Frances Tiafoe
Image: Keystone
Celebrating his first Grand Slam semi-final: Taylor Fritz
Image: Keystone
The nemesis of American tennis players: Andy Roddick was the last US man to reach a Grand Slam final at Wimbledon in 2009 - and lost 14:16 in the fifth set to Federer
Image: Keystone
Andre Agassi also lost to Roger Federer in the 2005 US Open final
Image: Keystone
Great moment: Andy Roddick was the last American to win a Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2003
Image: Keystone
Wants to become the first American in a Grand Slam final in 15 years. Frances Tiafoe
Image: Keystone
Celebrating his first Grand Slam semi-final: Taylor Fritz
Image: Keystone
The nemesis of American tennis players: Andy Roddick was the last US man to reach a Grand Slam final at Wimbledon in 2009 - and lost 14:16 in the fifth set to Federer
Image: Keystone
Andre Agassi also lost to Roger Federer in the 2005 US Open final
Image: Keystone
Great moment: Andy Roddick was the last American to win a Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2003
Image: Keystone
Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe have known each other since they were 14 years old. On Friday, one of them will make history by becoming the first American to reach a Grand Slam final since 2009.
06.09.2024, 14:30
06.09.2024, 15:06
SDA
No time? blue Sport summarizes for you
- Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe are fighting for a place in the semi-finals of the US Open. They have known each other since they were 14 years old.
- So one thing is clear: an American will be in the final. The last time an American reached a Grand Slam final was Andy Roddick in 2009.
- Fritz and Tiafoe are certainly looking forward to the semi-final on Friday night. "It will be popcorn cinema," says one of them. "It'll be the biggest match of our lives," said the other.
Even before the quarter-finals, Frances Tiafoe said a meaningful sentence. "Why not now? Why not us?" For more than 15 years, the most successful tennis nation in history has been waiting for a men's Grand Slam finalist. Andy Roddick was the last American finalist at Wimbledon in 2009 - and the last winner from the USA at the US Open in 2003.
It is now certain that there will be at least one domestic finalist again in New York. Taylor Fritz, number 12 in the world, and Frances Tiafoe, ranked eight places lower, will face each other in the semi-finals on Friday. Following Daniil Medvedev's defeat to world number one Jannik Sinner, it is also clear that there will be a new US Open champion.
New blood in the mix
Michael Russell, Taylor Fritz's coach, sums up the new starting position. "The big three have dominated for so long, now there's new blood in the mix." Nothing illustrates this more than the plight of American tennis. Since Andy Roddick's title 21 years ago, an American has reached a Grand Slam final five times: four times Roddick and once Andre Agassi. And all five times they lost to Roger Federer.
Fritz made it through to the quarter-finals for the first time thanks to his victory over Alexander Zverev at the fifth attempt, but he emphasizes: "The job is not done yet." The 26-year-old Californian took the fact that compatriots such as Tommy Paul and Tiafoe had reached the semi-finals before him as an incentive. "I was really happy for them," he explains. "But it also gave me the conviction that I could do the same."
The biggest match of her life
Fritz and Tiafoe, who is the same age, are certainly looking forward to the semi-final. "It'll be popcorn cinema," says one of them. "It'll be the biggest game of our lives," says the other. The two have taken very different paths, but know each other very well and have been playing against each other regularly since they were 14.
Fritz grew up in one of the finest neighborhoods near San Diego; one of his great-great-grandfathers was the founder of the upscale department store Macy's. Tiafoe's parents, on the other hand, were born in Sierra Leone, which was plagued by civil war, and came to America as refugees. As a worker, his father helped build a new tennis center in the state of Maryland and managed to get his sons to train for free. Frances Tiafoe's talent quickly became apparent.
Not against Federer this time
The powerfully built, strong server has now established himself in the top 20, but some believe he can go one step further. Tiafoe already reached the semi-finals in Flushing Meadows two years ago, losing in five dramatic sets to the eventual winner Carlos Alcaraz. This experience could speak in Tiafoe's favor, the statistics for Fritz, who is three months older. He has won the last six head-to-head duels since 2016.
The time is ripe for the next American finalist - and this time his opponent will not be Roger Federer.
