Tennis: Sinner Spoils Fritz’s Party to Win 2024 US Open

Jannik Sinner delivered an outstanding display of power and precision from the baseline to become the first Italian man to win the U.S. Open, defeating American Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 in Sunday’s final.

Sinner raised his arms in celebration after breaking Fritz to clinch the title, with cheers filling Arthur Ashe Stadium, even though many home fans had hoped for Fritz to end the 21-year drought for a U.S. men’s Grand Slam champion.

Sinner entered the tournament under a cloud of controversy after it was revealed he had tested positive twice for an anabolic agent in March but avoided a ban. An independent tribunal ruled that the positive results were due to unintentional contamination. Despite this, Sinner remained focused, securing his second Grand Slam title of the year after his Australian Open victory.

“We took it one day at a time, practicing hard and staying confident, which is key,” Sinner said. “This tournament showed me just how important the mental aspect is in this sport.”

He also expressed gratitude to the fans: “Thank you to everyone in this amazing arena for being so fair. It was a huge pleasure.”

Fritz had a rocky start, giving Sinner an early break with an unforced error in the first game. Although the American quickly settled, breaking back in the fourth game and surviving a 23-shot rally to save a break point in the fifth, Sinner soon found his rhythm. The Italian broke Fritz again with a perfectly executed drop shot in the seventh game and claimed the first set after Fritz sent a backhand long—one of 34 unforced errors that plagued his performance.

Despite a lively crowd, including pop star Taylor Swift, chanting “USA!” to support Fritz, the momentum swung in Sinner’s favor. He broke Fritz on set point with a sharp backhand down the line that Fritz couldn’t return.

In the third set, Fritz battled hard and even secured a break, but his frustration showed as he missed key shots, including a volley into the net that allowed Sinner to break back in the 10th game. Sinner then broke Fritz for a sixth time to win the match, with Fritz hitting a forehand into the net on match point.

Reflecting on the tournament, Sinner acknowledged the challenges: “It was difficult, especially with the circumstances before the tournament. But match by match, my confidence grew, and I felt stronger.”

Fritz, with U.S. tennis legend Andre Agassi present for the ceremony, addressed the crowd: “I know we’ve been waiting a long time for a champion, and I’m sorry I couldn’t get it done this time. But I’ll keep working and hopefully, next time, I’ll succeed.”

The defeat was another disappointment for U.S. fans, following Jessica Pegula’s loss to Aryna Sabalenka in the women’s final.

For Sinner, the victory capped a remarkable year, adding to his wins at the Australian Open, Miami, and Cincinnati. With a 55-5 win-loss record for the season, he remains a dominant force in tennis, leaving top rivals like Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz behind in New York.

However, Sinner’s post-match celebrations were tempered by continued questions about the doping controversy. Some in the media and the tennis world have suggested a double standard in how his case was handled. Reflecting on the situation, Sinner admitted it had made it harder to fully enjoy the tournament.

“The general reaction from players was mostly positive, though there were a few different voices,” Sinner said. “That’s why it’s important to have people close to you who know what really happened and what my team and I have been through.”