Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I know the NFL season starts this week, but don’t miss what’s happening at the US Open.
In today’s SI:AM:
🏆 Lamar Jackson’s title hunt
🏈 The big test of the B1G
🎙️ Questions and answers about Eli Manning
A decades-long streak of ineptitude in American men’s tennis will finally be broken this year after two U.S. players won their quarterfinal matches at the U.S. Open on Tuesday, setting up an all-American semifinal with historic significance.
Taylor Fritz achieved a surprise victory against world number four Alexander Zverev in the afternoon and in the evening session Frances Tiafoe advanced after Grigor Dimitrov had to retire in the fourth set due to injury.
Fritz and Tiafoe will now face off in the semifinals on Friday, meaning one of them will become the first American to reach the final at the U.S. Open since Andy Roddick in 2006. It’s been a rough decade for American tennis players. They haven’t just struggled at the U.S. Open. Either Fritz or Tiafoe will be the first American to reach a Grand Slam final since 2009 (also Roddick, at Wimbledon), and no American has won a major since 2003 (Roddick at the U.S. Open). But wait, there’s more. Even Fritz and Tiafoe’s quarterfinal appearances were notable. When Fritz and Tommy Paul reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon this year, it was for the first time since 2000 that several Americans were among the last eight players at a major.
“It’s the biggest match of Taylor’s and my life. We’ve known each other for so long. I’ve been playing against him since (tournaments for under-14s).” Tiafoe said during an interview on the pitch“It’s going to be great to be able to play against him here. I know we’re two Americans, but I hope you’ll all be there on Friday.”
Tiafoe will certainly appreciate any support from the crowd on Friday, as Fritz is 6-1 against Tiafoe as a professional. And Fritz has had the better career overall, with eight tournament victories and a career winning percentage of 59.5%. Tiafoe has three titles and a winning percentage of 52.2%.
Fritz is the top-ranked American in the men’s rankings at No. 12, but there are plenty of other players aspiring to that spot. Ben Shelton is No. 13, Paul is No. 14 and Sebastian Korda is No. 16. Another American, Alex Michelsen, is the youngest player in the top 50. He just turned 20 two weeks ago. So while either Fritz or Tiafoe will make history by ending the long drought of American men in Grand Slam finals, fans have reason to hope it won’t be another 18 years before an American man reaches a major final.
As exciting as the upcoming semifinal between Fritz and Tiafoe is, the winner will likely have a very difficult match in the final. World number one Jannik Sinner will face world number five Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals on Wednesday night, and the winner will then face the winner of the Alex De Minaur vs Jack Draper match. The winner of the Sinner-Medvedev match will be the favorite in the final – assuming he can beat De Minaur or Draper – but the crowd will surely support the American who reaches the final on Sunday. Will it be enough to spur them on to a historic win?
… things I saw yesterday:
5. Yankees candidate Roc Riggio steal from home.
4. The very different paths of Roger Federer and Kevin Hart Watch tennis.
3. Quote by Frances Tiafoe about Federer sitting in the stands during his match.
2. Angels closer to Ben Joyce’s 105.5 mph strikeout pitchIt was the fastest strikeout pitch since MLB began measuring pitching velocity in 2008.
1. This Californian high school brilliantly innovative fake punt.
