Taylor Fritz, who reached his first US Open final, expressed profound disappointment after his straight-sets loss to top seed Jannik Sinner on Sunday. Fritz fell 6-3, 6-4, 7-5, missing the chance to end a long drought for American men in Grand Slam tournaments—a streak that dates back to Andy Roddick’s 2003 US Open victory.
Despite high hopes from fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Fritz’s performance was overshadowed by Sinner’s relentless play. After the match, Fritz appeared visibly disheartened during the post-match press conference.
“Right now, I’m just pretty disappointed with a lot of things on the court—how I played, how I hit certain shots. It sucks,” Fritz admitted. “American fans have been waiting for a men’s champion for a long time, and I feel like I let a lot of people down.”
Despite the defeat, Fritz’s journey through the tournament was impressive. He defeated top-10 players Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev before reaching the final, and overcame fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals. This run represents a significant milestone in his career, following four previous major quarter-final appearances.
“There are obviously a lot of positives,” Fritz noted. “When I cool down, I’ll be happy about making it to the final.” His strong performance at Flushing Meadows will see him reenter the top 10 rankings, and he looks forward to joining his compatriots in the upcoming Laver Cup.
On the day of the final, Fritz struggled early, giving Sinner a break with an unforced error in the first game. He managed to break back in the fourth game and saved a break point in a 23-shot rally in the fifth. However, Sinner soon found his rhythm and broke Fritz with a perfectly placed drop shot in the seventh game, securing the set.
Despite the home crowd’s support, including cheers from pop megastar Taylor Swift, the momentum remained with Sinner. He broke Fritz on set point in the second set and overcame a triple break point in the opening game of the third set. Fritz managed to take a break lead but grew frustrated as he let Sinner break back in the 10th game, eventually losing the match on a final forehand error.
Reflecting on the experience, Fritz shared a poignant moment: “Hearing the crowd go crazy and soaking in the moment, walking out to play my match on Ashe in the US Open final—that’s what I dreamed about my whole life. It almost got me emotional, but I was really happy and ready to enjoy the moment. Read More…….