TENNIS | US OPEN
How many times have Tiafoe and Fritz played each other? The US tennis stars’ head-to-head record
It’s an all-American semifinal in Flushing Meadows, as the two players look to put US men’s tennis back on the map.
Make sure you don’t have any plans for Friday evening, folks, as Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe are all set to battle it out for a place in the 2024 US Open final.
This all-American semifinal is expected to get going around 7 p.m. ET, on the back of the first semifinal – between British number one jack Draper and top seed, Italian Jannik Sinner – which begins at 3 p.m., with an electric atmosphere guaranteed on the Arthur Ashe court. The idea of a homegrown player being in the US Open final for the first time since 2006 is an appetising one.
Fritz vs Tiafoe: what’s the record?
In terms of head-to-head, Fritz has had the upper hand over the years, winning six of their seven encounters. They last met in Acapulco, in 2023, and Fritz came out on top 6-3, 6-4. But despite this record, Tiafoe reminded everyone that this isn’t just any match – it’s the US Open, at night, on the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium. “It’s different on Ashe,” he said. “We’re totally different personalities.”
Tiafoe secured his spot in the semifinals by defeating Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in a four-set battle. After taking the first set 6-3 and losing the second in a tiebreak, 6-7(5), Tiafoe regained control with a 6-3 third set. The match, however, ended prematurely in the fourth when Dimitrov, dealing with an injury, had to retire with the score at 4-1.
Fritz had to dig deep to reach this stage. In his quarterfinal clash with Germany’s Alexander Zverev, the US star clinched an impressive four-set win, 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(3).
Making the final is one thing – becoming the first American man to reach a Grand Slam final since Andy Roddick in 2009 at Wimbledon – but winning the tournament would make them the first to win a Grand Slam title since Roddick’s 2003 US Open victory.
Tiafoe stated ahead of this semifinal that it would be “epic,” and so you’ll want to ensure you have a big screen in front of you on Friday evening, assuming you’re not one of those lucky enough to be there.