An American man will be in a grand slam final for the first time since 2009.
Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe saw to that Tuesday by winning their respective quarterfinal matches at the 2024 U.S. Open, defeating Alexander Zverev and Grigor Dimitrov, respectively, to set up an all-American semifinal on Friday. Either Fritz or Tiafoe will play in Sunday’s final.
The last American to reach a major final? Andy Roddick, in 2009, when he lost to Roger Federer at Wimbledon. Roddick also happens to be the last American to win any slam, the 2003 U.S. Open, not to mention the last player from the country to reach the final of the home major at the 2006 U.S. Open.
Fritz and Tiafoe will also become the first pair of Americans to play a semifinal at a major since the 2005 U.S. Open where Andre Agassi defeated Robby Ginepri. In fact, there has been only one other all-American men’s semifinal in the 21st century — Pete Sampras versus Agassi at the 2002 Australian Open. Sampras and Agassi also competed in the only all-American final at the 2002 U.S. Open.
Tiafoe acknowledged the weight of the moment ahead of Friday’s showdown, where he or Fritz could end the 21-year U.S. Open drought for American men.
“Ultimately, you guys get to see me against another American. So, Friday is going to be one hell of a day,” Tiafoe said after his four-set win (walkover) over Dimitrov.
There is a strong chance an American woman could also compete for the title over the weekend, just a year after Coco Gauff went the distance. Besides Fritz and Tiafoe, Emma Navarro also won her quarterfinal match on Tuesday, making it a 3/3 triumphant day for the host nation.
While Navarro will face World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinal on Friday, No. 6 Jessica Pegula, another American, will face No. 1 Iga Swiatek in her quarterfinal on Wednesday.
A Sabalenka versus Swiatek final appears inevitable on paper, but there’s something in the air at this year’s U.S Open. It smells like home cooking.
