CNN
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No American has won a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick won the 2003 US Open. Taylor Fritz has a chance to end that drought.

Fritz came back from a two sets to one deficit on Friday to defeat fellow American Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 to reach the US Open final.

In the championship match on Sunday, Fritz, the 12th-seeded player, will face world number one Jannik Sinner, who reached his first US Open final after beating Britain’s Jack Draper 7-5, 7-6(3), 6-2.

This was the first time Fritz had reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam tournament in his career, while Tiafoe, seeded 20th, reached this stage for the first time at the 2022 US Open.

“It’s the reason why I do what I do,” an emotional Fritz said. “It’s the reason why I work so hard. I mean, I’m in the final of the US Open.”

Roddick, who was in attendance at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday, was the last American to reach a Grand Slam final, at Wimbledon in 2009. He was the last American to reach the US Open final, in 2006.

The 23-year-old Sinner, on a 10-match winning streak, is seeking his second career Grand Slam title after winning the Australian Open in January. He is the first Italian to reach the US Open Championship Singles match in the tournament’s history.

In their mutual duels, Sinner is tied 1-1 against 26-year-old Fritz.

“I’m going to come out and I’m going to give it everything I possibly can, and I know that for sure,” Fritz said. “I’m going to give it everything I possibly can, so I can’t wait.”

Fritz is now 7-1 against Tiafoe.

On a humid day in New York, the semi-final between Sinner and Draper, which lasted just over three hours despite the three sets, was physically testing for both players.

Although it was his first career Grand Slam semifinal, the left-handed Draper Sinner played tough, with the first set lasting almost an hour.

The second set was even tougher, with a playing time of just under 90 minutes. Draper threw up several times. Sinner, meanwhile, had a potential injury scare in the middle of what was the most exciting point of the match at 4-4, 15-40.

Sinner, who was at the net after returning a volley from Draper, had to sprint diagonally across the court and back to the back line to intercept Draper’s next shot.

The 6ft 3in Italian, showing incredible movement and reach, was able to hit a lob to keep the point alive. But as he then slid across the court to change his momentum, Sinner tripped at the wall – and on his left wrist as he tried to break his fall. Sinner, who is right-handed, was able to rise and handle a Draper overhand, slotting a forehand winner past the Brit – before grabbing the wrist and leaning over.

After that game, both players received treatment from separate physical therapists. For the rest of the game, Sinner showed no signs of problems with his wrist. He later told reporters that the physical therapist “loosened him up very quickly” after he was treated on the field and that the problem “went away by playing.”

“Let’s see what it’s like tomorrow when it’s cold,” Sinner said. “It’ll be a different feeling. Hopefully it’s nothing to worry about.”

After Sinner defeated Draper in the third set to take a 4-2 lead, the Briton hunkered down and appeared exhausted.

The 22-year-old Draper, the first Briton to reach a US Open semi-final since Andy Murray won the title in 2012, had not dropped a set en route to the semi-final.

“I think it was obviously a very physical game,” Draper told reporters when asked about the nausea he was experiencing. “That’s obviously why Jannik is the No. 1 player in the world, because when you play against the best players, the intensity is different. You know, it’s a step up.

“I think it’s obviously a big event for me. I definitely felt, although I generally feel quite relaxed and stuff, I definitely felt a bit more excited today, a few more nervous. I’m definitely someone who, I think, is quite an anxious person. I think when you add it all up, I do get a bit nauseous sometimes on the track, and I do feel a bit sick when things get tough.

“Yes, I didn’t have any problems before the match, but of course it just happened that way.”

Sinner’s run comes against the backdrop of his recent doping case, which was made public on August 20 – news that shocked the tennis world. Sinner, who avoided a suspension after testing positive twice for traces of a banned substance, has said he has done nothing wrong.

“I’m just happy to be here in the final,” Sinner said. “Whoever it is (against whom), it’s going to be a really tough challenge for me, but I’m just looking forward to it. The season I’m having is really, really positive. … We’re just trying to keep pushing, and then we’ll see what I can do on Sunday.”