History is guaranteed for Jannik Sinner or Taylor Fritz on Sunday when both players take to Arthur Ashe to battle for the US Open title.
The world No. 1 has blocked out the doping allegation noise that threatened to affect his push for a second Grand Slam title but must overcome partisan home support to take out America's top-ranked player seeking the country's first men's singles Slam success since 2003.
Match preview
© Imago
Despite entering the main draw as the top seed, Sinner has not had a smooth run to Sunday's US Open final: the Italian has soldiered on regardless of the lingering conversations after his failed doping tests became public knowledge, has defeated former American No. 1 Tommy Paul, needed to beat the only former champion left in the draw — Daniil Medvedev — and battled hard against Jack Draper to get the job done in straight sets.
The top-ranked player's latter victory to knock out the No. 1 Briton was arguably the hardest he was pushed en route to a maiden final in New York, as he overcame early first-set nerves to eliminate an opponent who had clinched 15 straight sets before Friday's semi-final.
Admittedly aided by Draper's on-court anxiety, illness and surfeit of double faults (10), the 23-year-old sealed a 7-5, 7-6(3), 6-2 win over his friend to advance and come within one more victory of adding to January's Australian Open title.
Friday's success not only means the ATP Tour's best performer since the turn of the year becomes the first Italian to play multiple Grand Slam finals in the Open Era — second in tennis history after Nicola Pietrangeli — he also eclipsed Roger Federer (23 years, 34 days) to become the youngest player (23 years, 21 days) since 1988 to compete in the final Down Under and at Flushing Meadows in the same year.
Federer won both titles in 2004, and Sinner seeks to emulate his idol against a home favourite in Sunday's final, keen to continue an impressive year that has seen him go undefeated in five tour-level finals, including a recent triumph in Cincinnati before the concluding major of 2024.
The 23-year-old's seven wins in Australia, five victories in Paris, four at SW19 and six in Queens have taken him to 60 Grand Slam wins in 78 matches, placing him fourth behind Carlos Alcaraz (70), Rafael Nadal (72) and Novak Djokovic (77) to hit that landmark in the fewest games since the turn of the Millennium.
Even though the sensational world No. 1's status as the leading player on tour is not in question, he seeks a second major against a motivated opponent to further elevate his position.
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History was made on Arthur Ashe in Friday's second semi-final match between second-time last-four competitor Frances Tiafoe and Fritz, with the latter going through in five sets.
Given his previous experience and recent resurgence, Tiafoe was backed to record success in a five-setter to become the first American to play in the title match in New York since Andy Roddick in 2006, only for the top-ranked United States player to twice respond from going a set down before sealing a 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 triumph over his off-court buddy.
After coming through his last-four debut against Tiafoe, the first-time Grand Slam finalist aims to secure his first leading title on home turf to cap off an incredible fortnight in which he defeated two former Slam finalists in New York — Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev — to make it to a maiden title match.
Fritz has already ended the nation's 18-year wait for an American finalist at Flushing Meadows but hopes to go one better by emulating Roddick's 2003 accomplishment for a home victor in New York.
Having had Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi collect three titles apiece in the 1990s, only Sampras (2002) and Roddick (2003) have had US Open success since the turn of the millennium, underscoring the uphill task ahead for the 26-year-old against Sinner.
Although the odds may be stacked in his favour, the American No. 1 hopes to take advantage of his momentum and a boisterous crowd inside Arthur Ashe to achieve a lifelong dream and end a nation's two-decade wait.
Tournament so far
Jannik Sinner:
First round: vs. Mackenzie McDonald 2-6 6-2 6-1 6-2
Second round: vs. Alex Michelsen 6-4 6-0 6-2
Third round: vs. Christopher O'Connell 6-1 6-4 6-2
Round of 16: vs. Tommy Paul 7-6[3] 7-6[5] 6-1
Quarter-final: vs. Daniil Medvedev 6-2 1-6 6-1 6-4
Semi-final: vs. Jack Draper 7-5 7-6[3] 6-2
Taylor Fritz:
First round: vs. Camilo Ugo Carabelli 7-5 6-1 6-2
Second round: vs. Matteo Berrettini 6-3 7-6[1] 6-1
Third round: vs. Francisco Comesana 6-3 6-4 6-2
Round of 16: vs. Casper Ruud 3-6 6-4 6-3 6-2
Quarter-final: vs. Alexander Zverev 7-6[2], 3-6, 6-4, 7-6[3]
Semi-final: vs. Frances Tiafoe 4-6 7-5 4-6 6-4 6-1
Head To Head
Indian Wells (2023) - Quarter-final: Sinner 6-4 4-6 6-4
Indian Wells (2021) - Fourth round: Fritz 6-4 6-3
Sunday's match-up will be Sinner's third with Fritz on the ATP Tour, with the pair tied at 1-1 heading into the forthcoming final.
Both meetings have come on hard courts in Indian Wells, where the American notched a straight-sets victory over a teenage Sinner before the Italian avenged that 2021 loss two years later.
The world No. 1's game has improved significantly since their 2023 meeting, underscored by his current ranking and 54-5 win-loss record in 2024 and five titles to the 12th seed's two.
We say: Sinner to win in four sets
Fritz's resilience has seen him notch 11 victories in five-set matches since the start of the 2020 season — only Alcaraz (12) has won more in that period — possibly giving him the edge if this one goes the distance.
However, provided that there are no negative after-effects on his wrist, Sinner's adeptness at coping with adversity and grinding out victories despite not being at his free-flowing best should be beneficial in his battle with the American No. 1.
The Italian's previous experience in a Grand Slam final and fierce competitive spirit should be enough to overcome the hostile crowd inside Arthur Ashe and defeat Fritz for the championship.
