Jannik Sinner cemented his place atop the tennis world on Sunday, winning his second major title of 2024 by defeating American Taylor Fritz in the U.S. Open final. Sinner, the 23-year-old from Italy, showcased his dominance with a commanding 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 victory in front of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium. The crowd, electrified with “U-S-A” chants and vocally supporting their homegrown talent, couldn’t disrupt the focused and calm Italian, who completed his title run without dropping a single point on his first serve over the final two sets.
Arriving in New York under a cloud of scrutiny, Sinner faced questions after twice testing positive for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol in March during the Indian Wells tournament. However, the World No. 1 was cleared after the International Tennis Federation (ITF) ruled his positive tests as unintentional, stemming from a massage involving a contaminated product used by a now-fired member of his team. Though he avoided suspension, the situation sparked controversy and thrust him into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
Despite the external pressures, Sinner proved his resilience and elite skill on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows. Building on his earlier triumph at the Australian Open in January, Sinner became the first man since Guillermo Vilas in 1977 to win his first two Grand Slam titles in the same year. His win also etched his name in the history books as the second Italian to win a singles title at the U.S. Open, following Flavia Pennetta’s 2015 women’s singles title.
In Sunday’s final, Fritz, who was vying to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam since Andy Roddick in 2003, had his moments but could not match Sinner’s power and precision. The American had a loyal crowd behind him, but Sinner’s flawless serving and deep, well-angled groundstrokes kept Fritz on the back foot for much of the match.
Sinner broke Fritz early in the first set, taking control with a 6-3 win. The second set followed a similar pattern, with Sinner using his variety and athleticism to break Fritz’s serve and close out the set 6-4. The third set saw a more competitive Fritz, who raised his level and fought off several break points, but Sinner once again found a way to break through and sealed the match 7-5.
With his U.S. Open victory, Sinner further cemented his status as the best hard-court player of 2024. His remarkable ability to brush aside distractions and focus on his game made it clear that the Italian is a force to be reckoned with in the tennis world. The win also elevates Sinner’s stature in the sport, as he now prepares to close out the year ranked No. 1, with both the Australian Open and U.S. Open titles in his pocket.
For Sinner, the triumph is the culmination of a challenging season marked by controversy but underscored by a relentless pursuit of greatness. As he hoisted the U.S. Open trophy on Sunday, Sinner’s journey in 2024 solidified his place among the elite in men’s tennis.
