Frances Tiafoe sets up U.S. Open clash with Taylor Fritz as American guaranteed in final

Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz have made history by setting up an all-American semifinal at the U.S. Open – which means, for the first time in nearly two decades, an American will be in the men’s singles final.
Tiafoe, the 20th seed, advanced to the final four in New York after his quarterfinal match against Grigor Dimitrov ended abruptly due to Dimitrov’s injury. The match saw Tiafoe leading with a scoreline of 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3, 4-1 as the clock neared midnight when an injured Dimitrov had to retire.
This provided a rather disappointing conclusion to a battle that didn’t quite hit the pinnacle of tennis artistry. After the match, Tiafoe remarked: “It’s not the way I want to get through, but obviously happy to get through. Another semifinal here. Incredible.”
In one instance of the less-than-stellar performance from each player, Tiafoe watched as Dimitrov missed three set points during a tiebreaker, with consecutive double faults, capped by Tiafoe’s own double-fault that gave away the set.
Earlier on Tuesday, in a more straightforward victory, Fritz earned his win and showcased a celebratory moment filled with raw emotion upon watching his opponent’s forehand stray off course. Fritz jubilantly discarded his racket and roared his triumph with powerful exclaims of “Come on!”
After collecting his gear, he approached the net for an embrace with No. 4 Alexander Zverev, a two-time Grand Slam runner-up, then positioned himself in the heart of Arthur Ashe Stadium, extended his arms and roared once more: “Come on!”
Following years of ascending the ranks, becoming the leading American male in tennis, and nearing a breakthrough at one of his sport’s four most prestigious events, Fritz finally succeeded on home turf, defeating Zverev 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3) to advance to a major semifinal for the first time.
Fritz, the 12th seed and a 26-year-old Californian, began the day with a 0-4 record in Grand Slam quarterfinals. He will now face longtime friend Tiafoe, a 26-year-old from Maryland, on Friday.
“It’s the biggest match of me and Taylor’s life. We’ve known each other for so long. I’ve been playing against him since (14-and-under tournaments),” Tiafoe said. “So to be able to play him here… is going to be awesome. I know we’re two Americans but I hope you’re all with me come Friday.”
The Fritz-Tiafoe semifinal – “That could be crazy,” Fritz said, before knowing who he’d face next – marks the first between two American men at any major since 2005, when Andre Agassi bested Robby Ginepri in New York.
No American man has claimed a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick’s victory at the U.S. Open in 2003; Roddick was the last American man to reach the U.S. Open final, where he fell to Roger Federer in 2006.
Dimitrov, the ninth seed, seemed to be struggling in his fourth-round five-setter against Tiafoe. He was seen clutching his left hamstring and moving cautiously between points, with his serves noticeably slower than earlier in the match.
After the third set, Dimitrov received attention from a trainer before heading to the locker room for further treatment.
Despite returning to the court for the start of the fourth set, Dimitrov’s movement was clearly impaired and he eventually conceded the match. The 33-year-old Bulgarian, who has reached three major semifinals, did not disclose the exact nature of his issue post-match, attributing it to an accumulation of factors.
“Just a disappointing moment for me,” Dimitrov expressed. “I need to reassess a couple of things.”