America’s hopes of ending their 23-year drought without a men’s Grand Slam title took a dent on Saturday as Taylor Fritz’s US Open came to an abrupt halt with defeat to Francisco Cerundolo, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 4-6.
The American players hate talking about it. Their federation must hate hearing about it. Andy Roddick, the last man from the United States to win a Grand Slam hates it most of all.
‘I’ll be the first person to pop a beer with whoever does it, guaranteed,’ Roddick said during last year’s tournament. The task will now fall to those through to the second week in Flushing Meadows - Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul and 22-year-old newcomer Alex Michelsen - to take advantage of this year’s depleted draw in Flushing Meadows.
Fritz had represented the most obvious contender, having made the 2024 final to snap a 15-year streak for the American men. Having lost to Jannik Sinner two years ago in straight sets, and with a wince-inducing 11-0 losing record against Novak Djokovic, their absence in New York may have also raised a smile.
The ninth seed had blazed a trail in his first straight-sets win, so dominant that Cerundolo was the first opponent to break his serve. But in the thick of the third set, this confidence deserted him, allowing the Argentine into the match.
