Jimmy Connors praised Americans Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz for their recent US Open victories. Both players surprised everyone by making it to the semifinals. Fritz won a thrilling match to go to his first Grand Slam final, where he was defeated by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
For the first time since Roger Federer beat Andy Roddick in the 2006 final, a male player from the area made it that far.
Although Tiafoe and Fritz thrilled the Flushing Meadows crowd and nearly put an end to the American players’ drought, the days of American dominance at the tournament—seven titles between 1993 and 2003—seem far in the past.
According to the eight-time Grand Slam winner, other American athletes can be motivated by their achievements.
He talked about it in a recent podcast and said: “It’s been a while, right? We haven’t had a men’s champion since Roddick in 2003. For two Americans to be in the semis was pretty exciting, and it goes to show that when you stay in there, keep grinding, training, working, sacrificing, and doing what’s best to improve each day, good things happen. They might be playing their best tennis. Alcaraz might have been in there. He lost. That’s not their fault. If he doesn’t make it, that’s not their problem, but they were prepared and played the kind of tennis necessary to get to that point, which is great.”
He added: “Listen, the American men need to keep moving forward and prove they deserve those semifinal and final berths every time they step onto the court. Tennis is a 365-day-a-year job, and you can’t live off one result. That result, as great as it was, is over now.”
Taylor Fritz in 2024
WLLWWWWLLW Ranked world no.7, Fritz played his last match on the 8th of September when he lost to world no.1 Jannik Sinner 6-3 6-4 7-5 in the final of the U.S. Open (draw).
Currently, during this year Taylor has achieved an overall 44-17 win-loss record. The American has won 2 titles in 2024 in Delray Beach and Eastbourne. Taylor got to the final in Munich and U.S. Open.
Taylor Fritz will compete against the world no.9 Casper Ruud in the Round Robin. Their current record is 2-1 for Ruud.
Taylor clinched 2 titles in 2024 in Delray Beach and Eastbourne. Taylor got to the final in Munich (BMW Open) and at the U.S. Open.
Taylor won 9 titles in his career: 6 on hard courts and 3 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Frances Tiafoe in 2024
LLWLWLWLLW Currently the world no.16, Tiafoe played his last match on the 6th of September when he was defeated by world no.7 Taylor Fritz 4-6 7-5 4-6 6-4 6-1 in the semifinal of the U.S. Open (draw).
This season Frances has a compiled 29-21 match record. Frances Tiafoe’s most significant achievement of the current year was getting to the final in Houston and Cincinnati.
Frances Tiafoe will play the world no.12 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Round Robin. Their actual record is 4-3 for Tsitsipas.
Frances reached the final in Houston (US Men’s Clay Court Championship) and in Cincinnati (Western & Southern Open).
Tiafoe won 4 titles in his career: 2 on hard courts, 1 on clay courts and 1 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe clashed against each other 8 times. Their actual head to head record is 7-1 for Fritz. Before, the last time they locked horns, Taylor Fritz won 4-6 7-5 4-6 6-4 6-1 in the semifinal in New York (U.S. Open) on the 6th of September 2024.
In the following video you can watch the highlights.
