US Open: Sinner sets up final clash with Fritz

NEW YORK: When Taylor Fritz, a 26-year-old from California, and Frances Tiafoe, a 26-year-old from Maryland, strode under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights Friday night for the first US Open semifinal matching two American men in 19 years, the crowd might have been forgiven for not knowing which to support.

There was a burst of clapping right before the initial point, a curtain-raiser befitting the show about to unfold. Once the contest got going, maybe the momentum shifts made it tough to choose between a pair of close pals who’ve known each other since they were playing tournaments for kids younger than 14.

In the end, the roars were for Fritz, who surged with a six-game run against a fading and frustrated Tiafoe to come out on top 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 and reach his first Grand Slam final.

“It’s the reason why I do what I do,” Fritz told the fans, his voice cracking during a post-match interview. “It’s the reason why I work so hard.”

The No. 12-seeded Fritz’s momentum-shift-filled victory against No. 20 Tiafoe earned a showdown against No. 1 Jannik Sinner for the championship on Sunday.

He will be the first US man to appear in a major final since Andy Roddick lost to Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2009. And if he can get past Sinner, Fritz would become the first US man to win a Slam trophy since Roddick got his 21 years ago at the US Open.

From 4-all in the fourth set Friday, he seized control as Tiafoe’s strokes and usual confidence betrayed him. After Tiafoe’s double-fault handed over a break to make it 4-0 in the fifth, more than three hours into the proceedings, he chucked his racket. Fritz repaid the favor by double-faulting to end the next game, but broke right back and soon it was over. They met at the net for an embrace.

Sinner, a 23-year-old from Italy exonerated in a doping case less than three weeks ago, finished off a 7-5, 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory over No. 25 Jack Draper on Friday that featured simultaneous treatment of both competitors by trainers deep in the 1 1/2-hour second set.

Sinner got his left wrist massaged after falling during a point he managed to win; Draper needed medical attention after vomiting twice in a game with the temperature in the high 70s and the humidity above 60%. During that break in the action, a vacuum was used to clear the ground behind the baseline and finish the cleaning job Draper, a 22-year-old from Britain, tried to do himself by wiping his, um, mess with a towel.

There was none of that sort of drama away from the actual play in Tiafoe vs. Fritz.