Teary eyes, pride on his face, fans cheering at the top of their lungs! This is how the American ATP star Taylor Fritz created history by making it to the finals at the US Open 2024. The victory not only brought him a step closer to his first grand slam title but also bridged the gap that existed between American ATP pros and the home title since 2006. Countless expectations lie on his shoulders after Jessica Pegula’s defeat against Aryna Sabalenka. Amid the anticipation, Serena Williams‘ former coach stepped forward to highlight the actual depth of it.

Tennis coach Rick Macci believes Taylor Fritz has what it takes to challenge Italy’s Jannik Sinner in the US Open final. In a recent tweet, the WTA tennis great’s former coach acknowledged the strong levels that the 26-year-old has built so far. “Of all the Americans the past few years, Taylor Fritz has been the most rock solid. He has a shot against the Italian flame thrower, but he will need to play the match of his career to extinguish the flame,” he wrote.

Fritz secured his spot in the final after a commendable five-set victory over fellow American Frances Tiafoe, ending up with a 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 5-7, 6-3 win. The semifinal marked the first time in 19 years that two American men clashed at this stage of the US Open. The match was electric, with both players replicating high levels of competition throughout, making it difficult for the crowd to choose a favorite.

After the win, Fritz expressed his joy, calling it “a dream come true” to be the first American man since Andy Roddick to reach the US Open final. “I’m in the final, so I’m going to come out and give everything I possibly have,” he said. Fritz has already overcome top players like Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud on his path to the final, but Jannik Sinner still presents a tough challenge. Sinner has been in incredible form this season, winning five ATP Tour-level finals, four of them on hard courts. However, despite that, there still are things that the Italian is worried about.

Jannik Sinner acknowledges the challenging aspect of facing Taylor Fritz

Jannik Sinner knows the US Open final against Taylor Fritz will be a tough challenge, especially with the crowd heavily favoring the American. “Being in America for sure, the crowd will be a little bit more on his side,” Sinner said. He understands the situation and therefore compared it to playing in front of a home crowd in Italy. “But it’s normal. It’s like when I play in Italy, so I’m going to accept that.” Despite having won five ATP Tour finals this season, with four of them on hard courts, Sinner acknowledged the unique atmosphere of playing on Arthur Ashe Stadium in front of a partisan crowd.

Fritz, on the other hand, feels more relaxed heading into the final, mainly because of his dramatic five-set win over Tiafoe. He admitted the semifinal carried extra pressure since the stakes were high for both players. “It was to make a US Open final, whoever won it was the American that made it to the final. It’s a stressful situation to be in,” Fritz said. He believes the final against Sinner will be different, as he won’t be the favorite against the top seed. Fritz has faced Sinner twice before, winning once at Indian Wells in 2021 but losing to the Italian at the same tournament last year. As the biggest showdown of the tournament continues, it still remains to be seen who takes the title home.