Jannik Sinner proved exactly why he is the leading light in men's tennis on Sunday at the 2024 US Open, as the Italian toppled American No. 1 Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 to lift his first US Open title.
Sinner spoiled the home crowd's party in Arthur Ashe Stadium with relentless firepower throughout to bookend his Grand Slam season with a second major of his year and his career.
In front of an A-List crowd—Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Dustin Hoffman, Anna Wintour, Matthew McConaughey, you name it—Sinner skipped from side to side, then in one lunge forward arrowed a forehand onto the right tramline. It was a statement in the very first point, and one that continued throughout the two-plus hours of action on the Open's main court.
A break, then a hold to love, and Sinner zipped 2-0 up. Fritz, competing in his maiden major final, dialled in on the groundstrokes and capitalised upon a netted drive volley from the top seed to edge 3-2 ahead. The home charge withstood a barrage from Sinner to prevail in a 23-shot rally of supreme ball striking to indicate the world No. 12 was in charge. Not quite.
Sinner feathered a disguised forehand drop shot to garnish a 4-3 break lead and the Italian played with too much heat to handle to claim the opener.
In an opening set two hold to love, Sinner soared left—with movement akin to his childhood skiing in the Dolomites—to leap airborne and crack an inside-in forehand winner. The world No. 1 was threatening to sprint clear from there, but Fritz dug in deep as the pressure incrementally mounted as the second player to serve each turn. There were zero chances for either competitor until 5-4. Sinner’s depth, direction and ferocious velocity told. He scorched a deadly re-directed backhand, Fritz slid right, but his outstretched arm couldn’t deal with the force. In a flash, the world No.1 was two sets to the good.
Eight months ago in Melbourne, Sinner tasted Grand Slam glory for the first time by reeling in Daniil Medvedev from a two-set deficit. For Fritz, matching that task was insurmountable, despite chalking up 0-40 in the opening game. Sinner didn’t give the world No. 12 a sniff, dictating the next five points to escape danger.
Facing a brace of break points at 3-2, Fritz was a wall of defiance in a 21-shot rumble. With a bit more juice on his shots, the American had the crowd engaged to restore parity. A Fritz lob, then overhead combination in the rally of the match, received an electric reception from the absorbed Ashe crowd, and the No. 12 seed’s athleticism at net provided the catalyst for a 5-3 scoreline.
But once again, Sinner proved why he has the No. 1 next to his name, keeping his conviction and composure to "Forza!" his way to glory with a finishing flourish.
