NOS Sport•gisteren, 22:34
First American victory at US Open since 2003 fails to materialize: Sinner beats Fritz in final
Jannik Sinner has won the US Open for the first time in his career. The 23-year-old Italian defeated Taylor Fritz in three sets, to the disappointment of the audience: (6-3, 6-4, 7-5).
For the first time since 2006, an American man was in the final of the US Open. Back then, Andy Roddick lost to Roger Federer. The last American victory in New York for men dates back to 2003. Back then, Roddick was too strong for Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final.
The fact that Sinner had tested positive for doping in August may have given Fritz some additional support in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Sinner said that the banned substance clostebol had entered his body via his physiotherapist, who used a spray for a cut on his finger. The integrity commission of the international tennis federation ITF agreed and decided not to suspend him. A decision that not everyone agreed with.
Reuters
After the doping news came out, the world number one fired his trainer, who had the much-discussed spray in his possession, and physiotherapist. Despite the negative PR and the tumultuous weeks, Sinner managed to reach the final. There he met Fritz, who had not made it past the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam tournament before.
During the award ceremony, Sinner, who was the first Italian to win in America, spoke about the importance of the mental aspect of tennis and that he went into the tournament with relatively low expectations. “I did pretty well though,” he said with a sense of understatement.
Stage fright
Fritz said Sinner had played a very good match and spoke of “two great weeks”. According to him, it was special to play the final at the US Open as an American.
ANP
At the start of that final, the American number twelve in the world may have suffered from stage fright. Under the watchful eye of, among others, entrepreneur Elon Musk, pop artist Taylor Swift and her boyfriend Travis Kelce (a famous American football player), Fritz immediately lost his service in the first game.
He broke back immediately and even took a 2-3 lead. The Italian then recovered, broke Fritz twice more and took the first set relatively easily.
In the second set Fritz served better and it was evenly matched for a long time, but at 4-4 Sinner made the difference. The Italian was just a bit more solid in his strokes than the American.
This pattern was also visible in the first part of the lively third set. Fritz did not let himself be walked over at all. In fact, he played along well and won points. Yet he did not know how to push through at crucial moments.
ANP
When Fritz managed to break in the third set and took a 5-3 lead a game later, the hope for a resurrection returned to himself and the audience.
But even then Fritz let it go. Sinner managed to come back to 6-5, after which the Italian broke Fritz’s service again.
But five losses
This means that the 23-year-old tennis player wins his second Grand Slam tournament after the Australian Open and crowns a very successful year. After Mats Wilander (1x), Roger Federer (3x) and Djokovic (3x), he is the fourth player to win both Grand Slam titles on hardcourt in one season.
Furthermore, Sinner lost only five of his sixty matches this year. In addition to his two Grand Slam titles, he also managed to win four ATP tournaments, including that of Rotterdam.
“It was an incredible year,” Sinner said afterwards. “The work never stops, but I’m proud of where I am now.” When he spoke visibly emotionally about his sick aunt and wished everyone good health, Sinner also received applause from the audience.