Taylor Fritz’s US Open campaign ended in crushing fashion on Friday, as the No. 9 seed surrendered a two-set lead to fall 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 against Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo. The American, who reached the final in 2024, appeared to be in total control before a momentary lapse in the third set allowed his opponent to seize the momentum. Fritz, visibly devastated after sending a final backhand long at Arthur Ashe Stadium, admitted he was at a loss to explain the collapse, stating he needed time away from the sport to process the defeat.
The loss represents a significant missed opportunity for the 28-year-old, who is widely considered the most successful American male of his generation. With top-ranked players like Jannik Sinner sidelined by injury and Novak Djokovic eliminated in the first round, the draw had opened up for contenders like Fritz. The match turned in the deciding set when Fritz held three break points for a 5-3 lead, which would have allowed him to serve for the match, but he failed to convert. Reflecting on the result, Fritz noted that he struggled to identify how he let the match slip away, adding that he simply needed to return to work after a few days of isolation.
Fritz’s exit serves as a stark reminder of the pressure facing the American contingent, which saw seven men enter the singles draw. While other compatriots remain in the bottom half of the bracket, the path to becoming the first American man to win a major since Andy Roddick in 2003 remains fraught with difficulty. The tournament continues to be defined by its unpredictability, particularly with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz navigating his return from a four-month injury layoff.
Elsewhere in the draw, the women’s field saw a dramatic turnaround as Zheng Qinwen mounted a stunning comeback against Madison Keys. After trailing 5-0 in the final set, the 23-year-old Chinese player rallied to win 1-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5. Zheng, who won Olympic gold in 2024, has been working her way back up the rankings following elbow surgery and had to navigate the qualifying rounds to reach the main draw. She described the match as a lesson in concentration, noting that tennis can feel like a rollercoaster where one must stay focused on every point regardless of the score.
For Keys, the 2025 Australian Open champion, the defeat was particularly painful. She acknowledged that she had been struggling for some time and that the pressure of the home grand slam exacerbated her issues on the court, leading to a collapse she described as a moment where she felt unable to play tennis any longer. Keys indicated that the result would force her to address underlying difficulties she has been managing throughout the season.
The day also saw a shift in the top-tier rankings as Amanda Anisimova, a breakout star of 2025 with runner-up finishes at Wimbledon and the US Open, fell 6-2, 7-5 to 24th seed Anastasia Potapova, ensuring she will drop out of the top 10. Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek maintained her composure, saving three set points in the second set to secure a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) victory over Marie Bouzkova. Swiatek is now set to face Zheng in the fourth round on Sunday. The report also notes that in 2024, Fritz became the first American man to reach the US Open singles final since Andy Roddick in 2006, a breakthrough run sandwiched between two quarter-final losses to Novak Djokovic in 2023 and 2025. The report also notes that despite his own athletic shortcomings, has eked so much out of his game, the 28-year-old is a tremendously committed and diligent competitor who. The report also notes that the world No 1 and four-time grand slam champion, is absent due to injury and the now 39-year-old Novak Djokovic was dramatically defeated in the first round, jannik Sinner. The report also notes that as his last, desperate backhand soared far past the baseline inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, Taylor Fritz instantly held his face in his hands, unable to hide the agony of squandering such a great opportunity. The report also notes that he spent another two hours failing to retrieve it, one unfocused service game was enough to shift the momentum and once Fritz had lost control.
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