Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe lead American charge into US Open second round
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Taylor Fritz of the US in action during his first-round match against Steve Johnson.
PHOTO: REUTERS
NEW YORK – Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe opened their respective bids to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam title in 20 years, with routine first-round victories at the US Open on Monday.
The duo were hardly tested as ninth seed Fritz crushed compatriot Steve Johnson 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 in Louis Armstrong Stadium after Tiafoe, the 10th seed, beat countryman Learner Tien 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
There have been 78 consecutive Grand Slams played since Andy Roddick won the 2003 US Open, and hopes that an American can snap that title drought have fallen largely on the shoulders of Fritz and Tiafoe.
Fritz, the American No. 1 since the end of 2021, set the tone early, using a dominant five-game stretch during which he won 20 of 23 points to open up a 5-1 lead before closing out the 23-minute set with a hold at love.
It was more one-way traffic in the second set as he continued to attack Johnson's serve and faced little resistance, proving far too strong as he wrapped up the encounter in 80 minutes without facing a single break point.
“Last year going out in the first round, a lot of pressure coming back to not let it happen again, so I’m just really happy with how I handled myself. I was calm and I thought I played a really good match,” said Fritz.
He acknowledged there were a lot of expectations on him now.
“As much as I do care, I also have to try to not care too much and I’ll play my best tennis,” he added.
Tiafoe faced a tricky opening test in Tien, who at 17 was the youngest player in the main draw and earned a US Open wild card after winning a second consecutive USTA Boys' 18s National Championship.
But the 2022 US Open semi-finalist took the first set without dropping serve, wrapped up the second with a hold at love and then raced through the third set by winning six consecutive games.
“I have so many good memories from last year and all I am focused on is the US Open,” said Tiafoe. “This was circled on the calendar once the year started.”
Another American hopeful, Tommy Paul, had a business-like 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 win over Italian Stefano Travaglia.
Frances Tiafoe of the US celebrates after winning his US Open first-round match against Learner Tien.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The 17th seed, who beat world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals of the Canadian Open earlier in August, said he and his compatriots were feeling the love in New York.
"I never had, like, a group following me all the way back from the court to Ashe. They were cheering for me the whole way," Paul added.
"It's exciting to see how excited all the fans are for American tennis."
The biggest American to fall on the men's side on Monday was Sebastian Korda, who came out on the losing side of a marathon 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 6-4 match against Hungarian Marton Fucsovics that took nearly 4½ hours. REUTERS
