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 U.S. Open men’s singles semifinal matching two Americans in 19 years, the crowd might have been forgiven for not knowing which player 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 have 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 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 an on-court interview after the match. “It’s the reason why I work so hard.”
The 12th-seeded Fritz’s seventh victory in eight professional meetings against No. 20 Tiafoe earned a showdown against No. 1 Jannik Sinner for the championship on Sunday in the year’s final major tournament.