Sinner breeze past Fritz to lift US Open title for the first time

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner claimed his second Grand Slam title of the year by defeating Taylor Fritz in the US Open final. The Italian star, who secured his first major at the Australian Open in January, overpowered the American 12th seed with a commanding 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 victory at Flushing Meadows.

Sinner’s triumph comes just 19 days after being cleared of any wrongdoing following two positive tests for a banned substance earlier in the year. The 23-year-old became the first player since Guillermo Vilas in 1977 to win his first two Grand Slam titles in the same season, and the first Italian man to ever win the singles title at the US Open.

Emotion overcame Sinner as he dedicated the win to his ailing aunt, expressing gratitude for the chance to share this moment with her. “This title means so much because the last period of my career was not easy,” Sinner said, fighting back tears. “My aunt is not feeling well, and I don’t know how much longer I have her in my life. It’s nice I can still share these moments with her.”

Thank you New York!! 🏆

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Incredibly special to win my second slam title here after a great two weeks. Thank you for all the support, it means so much. I love this sport and it means everything to me, time to enjoy this moment with my team and my family before we get back to work… pic.twitter.com/oolNYXWWrk

— Jannik Sinner (@janniksin) September 8, 2024

Taylor Fritz, who was aiming to become the first American male Grand Slam singles champion in 21 years, fell short despite a spirited effort. The last American man to win a major singles title remains Andy Roddick, who watched from the stands as Fritz’s bid ended in disappointment.

“I know we have been waiting for a champion for a long time, so I’m sorry I couldn’t get it done this time,” Fritz said.