World No. 1 Jannik Sinner triumphed at the U.S. Open, defeating Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 to claim his first title at the tournament.
The victory, Sinner’s second major win of 2024, came after a year marked by controversy following two failed drug tests in March.
Though he was cleared last month, the shadow of the incident remained as the tennis world, from Novak Djokovic to Roger Federer, weighed in.
Sinner, however, stayed focused. His decisive win in Sunday’s final at Arthur Ashe Stadium was his 11th consecutive victory and earned him $3.6 million.
Fritz, the highest-ranked American at No. 12, was playing in his first major final and took home $1.8 million for his efforts.
“This title for me means so much because the last period of my career was not easy,” Sinner said. “I love tennis, I practice a lot for this kind of stage but I also realize that off the court there is a life.”
Sinner dedicated the win to his ailing aunt: “It’s so nice that I can share big moments with her still. She was a big part of my life and she still is.”
The final drew a packed house with spectators like Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, Jon Bon Jovi, and Noah Lyles.
Fritz, despite his loss, had an impressive run to the final, defeating No. 8 Casper Ruud and No. 4 Alexander Zverev along the way.
Sinner’s year has been a turning point. After winning the Australian Open in January, he and Carlos Alcaraz split the four major titles of the year—a first since 2002 when no member of the “Big 3” (Djokovic, Federer, Nadal) claimed a major.
Fritz reflected on his performance after the match, saying, “I know we’ve been waiting for a champion for a long time so I’m sorry I couldn’t get it done. I’ll keep working and hopefully, I’ll get it next time.”
European players have now claimed 78 of the last 79 major titles, continuing their dominance in men’s tennis.
Sinner’s triumph comes after a challenging year, including his drug test ordeal.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) cleared him of any wrongdoing, attributing the positive result to a minuscule amount of clostebol, a substance found in an over-the-counter spray in Italy.
Despite the cloud hanging over him, Sinner insisted, “In my mind, I know that I haven’t done anything wrong. I always respect these rules—and I always will respect these rules—of anti-doping.”
In the final, Sinner’s power and precision were on full display. He broke Fritz three times in the first set and continued to outmaneuver the American from the baseline.
Fritz fought hard, even breaking Sinner’s serve in the third set, but couldn’t maintain the momentum. The match ended with a forehand into the net by Fritz, sealing Sinner’s victory.
Sinner’s journey is far from over. “The work never stops,” he said. “You have to be proud of what you have, but you have to work for it, so I can’t wait for my continued process.”
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