TOPSHOT – USA’s Taylor Fritz reacts after winning his men’s singles round of 16 tennis match against … [+] Norway’s Casper Ruud on day seven of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on September 1, 2024. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
One year after three American men reached the U.S. Open quarterfinals, at least two have done it in 2024.
Top-ranked American Taylor Fritz and former U.S. Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe both won their fourth-round encounters Saturday to advance to the final eight.
Tommy Paul will attempt to join the party when he takes on No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner in the fourth round Monday night.
“I think we all push each other and make each other better, to be honest,” No. 12 Fritz said after defeating No. 6 Casper Ruud, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2, in 2 hours, 45 minutes to reach his second straight quarterfinal. He hit 56 winners and 24 aces in the victory.
Fritz will next face No. 4 Alexander Zverev, a former U.S. Open finalist who beat American Brandon Nakashima in four sets in Louis Armstrong Stadium after Fritz’s victory. Zverev leads the series 5-4.
The last American man to win a major title was Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open. Roddick turned 42 on Friday.
Asked if the upsets of No. 2 Novak Djokovic and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz made him think about winning the title, Fritz told Rennae Stubbs on court: “I came into the tournament in 2022 saying I felt I could win it and I lost first round so I think it’s good to just take it one match at a time and just focus on the person in front of you.”
No. 20 Tiafoe, who took out fellow American Ben Shelton in five sets on Friday, has now won 9 of his last 10 matches after flying around the court to beat his practice partner and No. 28 Alexei Popyrin of Australia, 6-4, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3, in 3 hours, 1 minute. Tiafoe has now reached at least the quarterfinals in three straight years.
Popyrin stunned 24-time major champ Djokovic in the third round and beat five Top 20 players en route to the Canadian Open title last month.
“I always dreamt about playing on this court from a kid,” Tiafoe told Chris Eubanks on court. “I used to hit against a wall and want to compete on this court. Seeing the Williams sisters win here, seeing Roger [Federer] win here a million times, I wanted to play on this court and it’s so iconic.
“And obviously it’s namad after Arthur Ashe and I wanted to be a part of that.”
USA’s Frances Tiafoe celebrates his victory over Australia’s Alexei Popyrin during their men’s … [+] singles round of 16 tennis match on day seven of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on September 1, 2024. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
Fritz reached the quarters first.
With Ruud serving at 4-5 in the second set, he double-faulted on the second set point to make it one set apiece.
Ruud was soaking wet from sweat and seemed disturbed by all the perspiration accumulating on the court beneath him.
After taking the third set, Fritz seemingly put a stranglehold on the match when Ruud double-faulted to fall behind two breaks at 0-3 in the fourth.
Serving at 5-3 in the fourth, Fritz closed it out on his serve with an ace and then raised his hands to the crowd.
“I just had to stay in it because I felt like he definitely outplayed me in the first set,” Fritz said.
“He was playing well, I did a really good job to just fight in the beginning of the second to get through some tight service games and kind of apply some scoreboard pressure towards the end of the second.
“And then I felt like his level maybe dropped a little bit. It became a little bit more playable for me. I was getting more looks on second serves and I was able to get through it from there.”
USA’s Frances Tiafoe celebrates winning the first set of his men’s singles round of 16 tennis match … [+] against Australia’s Alexei Popyrin on day seven of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on September 1, 2024. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
Tiafoe broke for 5-4 in the first set and then closed it out on his serve with a service winner.
In the second set, the American fended off three set points on Popyrin’s serve and won the tiebreaker when he let loose a 136 mph serve on set point.
“Without you guys, it wouldn’t happen,” Tiafoe said of the crowd support.
Popyrin was able to take the pro-American crowd out of it in the third set, when he showed his mettle by winning it.
But in the fourth, serving at 2-3, Popyrin double-faulted twice, including on break point, to hand Tiafoe a 4-2 advantage.
Serving for the match at 5-3, Tiafoe served and volleyed twice in a row to bring him to double-match point.
Finally, on his third match point, he won it with a wicked crosscourt forehand winner and then embraced his buddy at the net.
Tiafoe will next face No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov in the quarters after the Bulgarian beat Andrey Rublev in five sets. Dimitrov leads 3-1.
“Obviously, he’s so talented, been one of the most talented players for a very,very long time,” Tiafoe said. “He’s playing great in the later stages of his career and he’s starting to find good form again, so it’s going to be really, really tough. He can make all the shots. I’m going to make him fight for it and earn it, I’m sure he is, too.”
With two Americans into the quarters. Paul will attempt to join them on Monday.
“I think we have a real deep roster of Americans,” Paul said, “and I ‘m excited for me but I’m excited for all of us.”
