BY JAMES BECK
Jannik Sinner really never gave Taylor Fritz a chance in Sunday’s U.S. Open men’s final.
That’s what a world’s No. 1 does to the likes of a world’s No. 12.
But most of the full house of fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium probably had their fingers crossed that the 6-5 Fritz would pull off a gigantic upset. Fritz just wasn’t good enough to make the fans’ dreams come true.
ITALIAN MAKES THINGS LOOK EASY
After all, the likes of Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev kept their total of 30 Grand Slam titles on ice in summer’s heat. But not the 23-year-old Sinner, who won his second Grand Slam hard court of 2024.
The slim, long-legged Italian made things look easy in the first two sets when he broke Fritz’s service twice in the last three games of the first set and then in the last game of the second set. The third set got a little more complex when Fritz broke service to go up 5-3, only to lose the last four games of a 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 romp by Sinner.
FRITZ DENIED BIG GOALS
That was it, and American Fritz was denied becoming the first American in 21 years to win the U.S. Open.
Of course, Sinner was the first Italian man to win the U.S. Open.
Just a few weeks earlier Sinner was just hoping that he would be exonerated in a doping case that threatened his chance of even playing in this U.S. Open.
The match had some great rallies that kept fans on the edge of their seats until Sinner spoiled their day and dreams. Sinner was in a league all of his own, especially in that last set when he could do little wrong when the set appeared to be in danger.
JANNIK DID MOST THINGS RIGHT
Sinner hit big, served big and moved like an antelope all afternoon while holding down his errors most of the way to victory.
The Italian looked fully capable of continuing his hold on the world’s top ranking in 2024. Staying healthy and making those slim legs of his grow stronger look like his main task for the rest of 2024. And don’t forget that long right arm that separates him from most of the world’s professional tennis players.
Just watch out for Alcaraz and Djokovic, and maybe a couple of newcomers to the top ranks of men’s tennis.
Just for now, Jannik Sinner is doing a lot of things right.
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James Beck was the 2003 winner of the USTA National Media Award for print media. A 1995 MBA graduate of The Citadel, he can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com.
