Taylor Fritz beats Frances Tiafoe to become the first American man in a US Open final since 2006
NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Fritz has defeated a fading Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in an all-American matchup at the U.S. Open to reach his first Grand Slam final. The 12th-seeded Fritz’s victory Friday night earned him a showdown against No. 1 Jannik Sinner for the championship on Sunday. Sinner finished off a 7-5, 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory over Jack Draper earlier Friday to reach the final at Flushing Meadows for the first time. It’s his second major title match of the year after taking the trophy at the Australian Open in January. Fritz will be the first U.S. man to appear in a major final since Andy Roddick lost to Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2009. Roddick’s 2003 U.S. Open title was the most recent at a major for an American man.
Jessica Pegula will meet Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open women’s final Saturday
NEW YORK (AP) — Jessica Pegula will take on Aryna Sabalenka in the U.S. Open women’s final on Saturday. It is the sixth-seeded Pegula’s first Grand Slam title match. The second-seeded Sabalenka is seeking her third major title after winning the past two trophies at the Australian Open. Sabalenka also reached the final at Flushing Meadows last year before losing to Coco Gauff. Pegula is 30, making her the oldest American woman to reach her first Slam final in the Open era. Sabalenka is a 26-year-old from Belarus. Pegula has won 15 of her most recent 16 matches, all on hard courts. The lone loss in that span came against Sabalenka.