Tennis-Fritz fired up for less stressful showdown with Sinner in US Open final

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Taylor Fritz believes his U.S. Open title clash against Jannik Sinner on Sunday will be less stressful than his encounter with fellow American Frances Tiafoe as he will be the underdog when he meets the world number one.

Fritz, the top-ranked American at world number 12, outlasted Tiafoe 4-6 7-5 4-6 6-4 6-1 in the semi-finals on Friday night to take a big step towards ending his country’s 21-year wait for a men’s Grand Slam champion.

Having become the first U.S. man to reach a Grand Slam final since Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2009, Fritz said that he will relish his shot at glory.

“I’ve always enjoyed playing him (Sinner). To be honest, I don’t think I’m going to be put in a more stressful situation than I was today,” Fritz told reporters.

“I think today was much more stressful than me playing the final. I just feel good. I have a feeling I’m going to come out and play really well and win.”

The match took place after Sinner defeated an ailing Jack Draper 7-5 7-6(3) 6-2, with the hopes of a nation weighing heavy on the two Americans.

“Both of us want to be the guy to make it,” said Fritz, who held a 6-1 advantage in head-to-head meetings with Tiafoe before the match.

“I’m not going into this thinking I’m the favourite because everything’s totally different when you’re playing a match like this,” adding that Tiafoe had played unbelievable tennis during the U.S. Open.

Fritz was beaten in three sets the last time he met Sinner, in the quarter-finals at Indian Wells last year, and he expects a huge test against a player who has since made his Grand Slam breakthrough by winning this year’s Australian Open.

“He strikes, he hits the ball big, he’s like a very strong ball striker, but I feel like I always hit the ball really nice off of his ball,” Fritz said.

“I think I typically play well against him.”

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)