Can Taylor Fritz beat Jannik Sinner and end a 21-year title drought? | US Open men's final preview

When the US Open lost its two biggest stars, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, in the first week, it felt like a bit of a disaster. But Djokovic’s defeat, and the way it opened up the bottom half of the draw, eventually came with a couple of silver linings for the tournament: Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe had a chance to face off in an all-American semifinal, and now Fritz has a chance to win the title.

Is it too much to ask of him to end the host nation’s 21-year dry spell for home-grown men’s Slam champions?

No.

It’s a lot to ask, yes. He’s facing the No. 1 player in the world, who looks as sharp as he’s looked all season, and this is Fritz’s first Grand Slam final. But this isn’t quite David vs. Goliath, because he has played Sinner well in the past.

I feel like I always hit the ball really nice off of his ball. Taylor Fritz, on Jannik Sinner

The two have met twice before, both times on slow hard courts in Indian Wells. Fritz won their first encounter, 6-4, 6-3, in 2021; Sinner won the rematch last spring, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. The second one obviously means more, but the score was still close, and Fritz sounds as if he took a lot of positives from it.

“I think I’ve always played well against Jannik,” he says. “It’s been a while since we played, but last time he got me in three at Indian Wells. I don’t know, he hits the ball big, he’s like a very strong ball striker, but I feel like I always hit the ball really nice off of his ball.”

Watching highlights of their 2023 match, you can see what he’s talking about. Fritz didn’t have trouble staying with Sinner in rallies that day, or responding to his pace with more of his own. The American had chances to win in the third as well.

Will the faster court in New York help Sinner more than the slower one in California? Probably. He’s turned himself into a power hitter who pulverizes the ball without losing accuracy. He’s a better and more confident player now than he was last year, with a No. 1 ranking and a hard-court Grand Slam title to show for it. Fritz relies on free points with his serve, but Sinner returns well, especially from the backhand side. He should make him work harder than others have to hold.

But Fritz has an advantage of his own: An Arthur Ashe Stadium audience that will be all-in on seeing the U.S. men end their drought. Fritz wasn’t the crowd favorite against Tiafoe, but he’ll get all the love on Sunday.

More important, Fritz is an unwavering and typically clutch competitor. Tiafoe was the superior player for most of their semi, but Fritz hung around long enough to win.

“I think one thing that’s never been in question is just like my heart and how I’m always going to compete no matter what,” Fritz said on Friday.

So Fritz has a chance, and this doesn’t seem like it will be a straight-setter either way. But Sinner has been so good over the course of this tournament, and so good in big-time matches over the court of the last year, that I can’t bet against him.

Winner: Sinner