US Open 2024 review: Jannik Sinner’s historic win; redemption for Sabalenka

Hopes for the first American Grand Slam men’s singles champion since 2003 soared at the last Major of 2024. The bumper crop of talent from the region featured No. 12 Taylor Fritz, No. 13 Ben Shelton, No. 14 Tommy Paul, No. 16 Sebastian Korda, and No. 20 Frances Tiafoe.

The optimism turned into irrational exuberance when Novak Djokovic was upset by a much-improved 28th-seed Alexei Popyrin in the third round, and four-time Major winner Carlos Alcaraz suffered a straight-sets loss to 74th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp. “You talk about a shocker,” said  ESPN’s John McEnroe. “It has to be at the top of the all-time shockers.”

The Djokovic loss meant that, for the first time since 2002, no member of the legendary Big Three would capture a Grand Slam title in the same year. Instead, Jannik Sinner, this year’s Australian Open champion, would ensure that the remaining half of the new Big Two (Sinner-Alcaraz) reigned. The 23-year-old Italian outclassed a quartet of Americans, a fast-rising Englishman Jack Draper, and No. 5 Daniil Medvedev — who ousted Sinner at Wimbledon.

Those who thought Sinner would be distracted by the controversy swirling around his two failed drug tests in March and his exoneration just six days before the US Open were disabused of that notion at the Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati. Sinner outplayed Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, and Frances Tiafoe for his fifth title.

READ | Sinner tightens grip on No. 1 spot, runner-up Fritz returns to Top 10

Even so,  ESPN analyst Mary Joe Fernandez remained optimistic before Championship Sunday. “I love Taylor’s chances. Why can’t he lift the trophy the way Roddick did?”

Perhaps, Fritz’s confidence rubbed off on her. “I have a feeling I’m going to come out and play really well and win,” said the 26-year-old Californian. “When I play good tennis, I think that level is good enough to win.” 

It certainly was against No. 8 Casper Ruud in his convincing 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 win over the 2022 US Open finalist and two-time French Open runner-up.

“Fritz is volleying the traditional volley better than ever and his swinging volley is good,” said  ESPN’s John McEnroe, an elite serve-volleyer himself, 40 years ago.

When Fritz edged No. 4 Zverev 7-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal, he recalled his crushing five-set losses at the Majors, saying, “Today it felt different. It was my time to take it a step farther.” Patience and composure proved critical, especially in the tiebreakers, against the rocket-serving but otherwise mostly passive German baseliner. This was Fritz’s fourth top-10 win at a Major this year, the most by an American man since Andre Agassi in 1999. “We all want to be the one to end it,” he said, referring to America’s 21-year drought in winning a men’s singles Major.

When asked if chants of “USA, USA” helped him, the appreciative Fritz left no doubt about his feelings. “The crowd support is amazing. They’re helping so much in all my matches.”

Fans would have divided loyalties, though, in the semis between Fritz and his good friend Tiafoe, the 2022 semifinalist. “When Tiafoe plays, it’s as loud as it gets at the US Open,” said Darren Cahill, a 1988 semifinalist here and now a co-coach for Sinner. That Tiafoe sported a New York Knicks jersey in afternoon practice sessions, and his girlfriend, a New York Rangers cap, showed his savvy in courting fans in this sports-crazy metropolis.

Tiafoe, a muscle-flexing showman whose father is an immigrant from Sierra Leone, revels in the raucous night atmosphere at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Who would win the all-American semifinal? “It’s going to be the guy who is aggressive and doesn’t blink at the biggest moments,” Tiafoe predicted.

Fritz learned the hard way that talk is cheap. “I came into this tournament in 2022 saying I thought I could win it, and I lost in the first round. So, I think it’s good to just take it one match at a time and focus on the person in front of you.”

Fritz favoured over Big Foe

‘Big Foe’ was trying to become the first Black American to reach the US Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972. On a roll, he had won 10 of his last 11 matches, succumbing only to Sinner in Cincinnati.

But Fritz had taken their last six contests, which made him a 61 per cent favourite, according to IBM Match Insights. “If Tiafoe can make it a more athletic match than a ball-striking one, he can win,” said Patrick McEnroe.

A courtside ticket sold for $8,000 for this much-anticipated clash, attracting the likes of Bam Adebayo, Klay Thompson, Kevin Garnett, musician Fat Joe, golfer Rory McIlroy, soccer legend Megan Rapinoe, and actress Da’Vine Joy Randolph, among other celebrities.

For four sets, the duel between the Davis Cup teammates lived up to expectations. Fritz’s improved court coverage and conditioning surprised Tiafoe, who in turn surprised his opponent with high-powered yet consistent groundstrokes.

Buoyed by the crowd, Tiafoe grabbed the opening set 6-4. But Fritz played a sensational game at 6-5 in the second to break at love with a nifty backhand volley he sharply angled for a winner. That evened the match at a set apiece. When Tiafoe played the big points better to capture the third set 6-4, his hometown supporters watching on TV at the JTCC Watch Park in College Park, Maryland, exulted.

Serving at 3-all, 30-15, a gruelling 31-shot exchange wore out Tiafoe, who didn’t run for Fritz’s forehand crosscourt winner.

The pressure of a must-hold game at 4-5 got to Tiafoe after he built a 40-15 lead. Two double faults, a shanked forehand, and a poor forehand drop shot into the net due to a brain cramp cost him the fourth set 6-4.

Much fresher than his weary foe, Fritz broke serve three times and finished off Big Foe with an ace for a 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 triumph.

“The question will be, how much does Fritz have left in the legs,” wondered John McEnroe. Not much, according to the oddsmakers who listed Sinner as a heavy -450 favourite and Fritz a +320 underdog.

“Let’s be honest,” said Patrick McEnroe. “It’s going to take a perfect storm for Fritz to pull it off — great serving and the 24,000 fans will have to carry him through.”

That ‘perfect storm’ never happened in the anticlimactic 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 final. The nervous Fritz made only 38 per cent of his first serves and lost his serve thrice in the opening set. Sinner, more confident and experienced in big matches, proved superior in every department, especially movement, stamina, and shot selection.

The crowd rewarded Fritz with a loud ovation when he put away a smash to edge ahead 15-30 on Sinner’s serve. A forehand volley winner and a Sinner double fault gave Fritz his only break of serve in the third set and a short-lived 4-3 lead. Fritz’s last best chance came when he served at 5-4, 30-30. But the relentlessly powerful Sinner forced a forehand error, and then Fritz dumped a forehand volley into the net to lose his serve.

When Fritz netted a forehand on championship point, coach Cahill wept and then hugged Simone Vagnozzi, his coaching partner. Sinner raised his arms in a low-key celebration.

“I think that 1726053409 you can find yourself a little deeper in the draws — quarterfinals and stuff if you just play solid tennis. [But] I still think to beat the top players, you need to bring your best game,” said Fritz.

“The good news for Taylor Fritz is that his average level is unbelievably high now,” said  Tennis Channel analyst Paul Annacone.

READ | Off-side: The twilight of sporting greatness

On the four leading Americans — Fritz, Tiafoe, Shelton, and Paul — Patrick McEnroe was cautiously optimistic. “They’re close [to the top players], but they’re pretty far still. They still have to improve a lot of little things in their games.”

European men have won the last 59 Grand Slam singles titles, a streak that started in 2009 after 20-year-old Argentine Juan Martin del Potro upset Roger Federer in the US Open final.

Sinner became the first man to win his first two Major titles in the same year since Guillermo Vilas, another Argentine, in 1977, and Jimmy Connors captured three in 1974.

Looking forward, Patrick McEnroe said, “These two guys [Sinner and Alcaraz] are going to dominate the way the Big Three did.” 

Sweet redemption for Sabalenka at US Open

After heartbreaking losses in the US Open for the past three years, Aryna Sabalenka won her first title here and the hearts of many fans. More relaxed than ever, she joked about offering the crowd free drinks.

Following her second-round victory, Sabalenka was delighted by a ‘mini-me’ dressed in a replica of her pink Nike dress, along with a (presumably temporary) tattoo on her arm, next to her stuffed tiger. “It was a really adorable moment,” Sabalenka said. “I just looked up, and I saw on the big screen, like, mini-me. It was so cute. It’s such a motivation to keep going to inspire the young generation.” Later, the champion hugged her little admirer while her family took photos.

The 26-year-old Belarusian will likely never be a crowd favourite when playing an American at Flushing Meadows. But everyone in attendance and those watching on TV were endeared by the tender side of the ferocious power hitter who seized her third Grand Slam title with a suspenseful 7-5, 7-5 final triumph over Jessica Pegula.

Controlling Sabalenka’s volatile emotions has always been key to controlling her high-velocity shots. For the past five months, her boyfriend Georgios Frangulis, a motorsports driver from Brazil, has helped stabilise Sabalenka. When she won the Cincinnati Open three weeks ago, she said, “Thank you to my boyfriend for keeping me happy every day.”

Sabalenka recently told  People magazine, “There was a really tough period where I was really happy to have him by my side, always cheering me up, always making sure that we are doing some fun stuff. But I make sure I kind of forget about tennis and focus on the good things and enjoy my life, even when things are going wrong in my career.”

Her season got off to a rousing high with her second straight Australian Open crown. But in March, the suicide of Sabalenka’s ex-boyfriend and former NHL player Konstantin Koltsov jolted her. In a social media post, Sabalenka wrote, “While we were no longer together, my heart is broken.”

Stomach problems hampered Sabalenka at the French Open during her upset loss to Mirra Andreeva, and a shoulder injury sidelined her from Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics. Adversity proved a blessing in disguise, as she noted during the Cincinnati title run when she knocked off world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and Pegula. “Things happen for a reason, I guess… I think it was much needed to… spend some time with myself.”

The mid-summer break left Sabalenka fresher than her chief rivals. When she overwhelmed gold medallist Zheng Qinwen 6-1, 6-2 in the US Open quarters,  ESPN analyst Pam Shriver raved, “Sabalenka is almost as intimidating as Serena [Williams] was. It’s almost miraculous how she has recovered from her serving yips in 2022 when she averaged 14 double faults a match.” Similarly, Chris Evert noted, “Her [groundstroke] consistency has been a big improvement. Her shot tolerance is now six or seven shots.”

But was Sabalenka still as mentally fragile — at the US Open, anyway — as she was physically strong and technically solid? Would the memory of squandering a lead in devastating three-set losses to heavy underdog Leylah Fernandez in 2021, Swiatek in 2022, and Coco Gauff in 2023 haunt her? Her 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 defeat to Gauff — after leading the American teenager 6-2, 2-0 — left Sabalenka in tears and so angry that she smashed her rackets on the locker room floor.

Pegula experienced much less drama during her tennis career, but tragedy also struck the 30-year-old Buffalo, New York native two years ago when her mother Kim suffered a stroke that left her with brain damage and memory loss.

“My mom loved to work. She did everything, and our family constantly told her how she needs to slow down and take time for herself,” Pegula wrote in a poignant first-person post for  Players Tribune in February 2023.

“She gave everyone so much of her time and effort. She lived it and loved it, and it was felt by everyone she met. Now we come to the realisation that all of that is most likely gone. That she won’t be able to be that person anymore.”

Pegula made six Grand Slam quarterfinals from 2021-23 and lost all of them. Time wasn’t on her side, and sensing that her results had plateaued, she split with her longtime coach David Witt and hired Mark Merklein and Mark Knowles, a former doubles No. 1.

Despite second-round defeats at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, the gamble paid off. On the summer hard-court circuit, she won the Toronto tournament and defeated resurgent standouts Karolina Muchova and Paula Badosa to make the Cincinnati final.

Billionaire parents

In splendid form going into her favourite tournament on her favourite surface, Pegula took the Long Island Railroad to Flushing Meadows daily. That seemed to contradict her image as the privileged daughter of billionaire parents — Terrence (who works in oil and gas) and Kim (business owner), who are the principal owners of the NFL team Buffalo Bills. Terrence also owns the NHL hockey team Buffalo Sabres. The misperception both amused and annoyed the down-to-earth Pegula, about whom her mother once said, “I didn’t raise a diva.”

Even so, the media wouldn’t let go of the juicy topic. After Pegula’s fourth-round win over fast-rising Russian lefty Diana Shnaider, she set the record straight again, saying, “It’s that people think I have a butler, that I get chauffeured around. I have a private limo that I fly private everywhere… I’m definitely not like that. People can think what they want. I don’t know. I just think it’s kind of funny. A butler? I read these comments… I’m like, no, not at all.”

Interestingly, Emma Navarro, rarely scrutinised or questioned about her family’s wealth, is also the daughter of a billionaire, businessman Ben Navarro.

Both Navarro and Pegula faced tough draws and produced career breakthroughs. The 13th-seeded Navarro eliminated No. 19 Marta Kostyuk, a hard-hitting Ukrainian, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3; No. 3 Gauff, who committed a shocking 19 double faults, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3; and No. 26 Badosa 6-2, 7-5 by grabbing the last five games. Emma, who also upset the slumping Gauff at Wimbledon, became the first American to defeat the defending US Open champion since 2002 and only the sixth woman to make the US Open semis without a prior US Open win.

Born in New York City and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, Navarro attended the University of Virginia where she became the 2021 NCAA Singles Champion. The New York crowd loved Emma for her stylish strokes, poker face, and fearless fighting spirit. Her stunning three-set upset over Sabalenka on the Indian Wells hard courts in March gave her supporters hope she could do it again.

Screaming as she smacked every shot, Sabalenka served for the match at 6-3, 5-4. When Navarro blasted a forehand return-of-serve winner to give her two break points at 15-40, the partisan crowd roared. “Now how much is Sabalenka thinking about those nightmare semifinals?” Shriver could only wonder. A wild backhand error gave Navarro the service break for 5-all.

Both then held serve to force a tiebreaker. Emma’s Cinderella run ended after a barrage of Sabalenka’s ferocious winners, culminating with a put-away smash for a 6-3, 7-6 (2) victory. Sabalenka showed her mental toughness, while Navarro proved she’s a legitimate top-10 player (she’ll rank No. 8 on Sept. 9). As Evert said, “She could have beaten almost anyone else in this tournament except Sabalenka.” In the on-court interview, Shriver asked Sabalenka if she was thinking about last year’s meltdown in the final, to which she answered honestly, “I was thinking a lot” — and defiantly, “Not this time.”

While the first semifinal saw Sabalenka overcome Emma Navarro in a close contest, the other semifinal pitted Pegula, the super-solid stroker, against Muchova, the super athlete. One of the greatest “What ifs?” of this century is: what if the immensely talented 28-year-old Czech had not been plagued so often by serious injuries that derailed her career?

For a recent example, Muchova nearly upset Swiatek, the Queen of Clay, in the 2023 French Open final only to be sidelined for around ten months before and after a wrist surgery in February.

At Flushing Meadows, the lithe, 5’11” Muchova reached the semis without dropping a set. Her most impressive win came when she outclassed No. 5 seed and surprise French and Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-3.

“I couldn’t be more happy that I’m here,” said Muchova, who played only 12 matches this year, accounting for her highly misleading No. 52 ranking. The most relevant stat, though, is her excellent 7-5 career record against top-10 opponents at Grand Slam events.

The talents of Muchova

“I think she’s so good, so talented, so skilled as a tennis player, like, so complete,” Pegula said about this gifted and versatile Czech. “It’s cool to kind of see her back because I think she’s really great for the game, and the way she plays is really fun.”

Pegula didn’t have any fun, though, when Muchova destroyed her 6-1 in the opening set. Muchova has been compared to fellow Czech, 1980s-star Hana Mandlikova, and more recently, Ash Barty. When Muchova conjured a dazzling low backhand volley winner in the fourth game, all-time greats Martina Navratilova and Virginia Wade high-fived. “She has so many weapons; she can beat you in so many ways,” praised ESPN analyst Patrick McEnroe.

But Pegula, sluggish in the first set, finally found her groove after trailing 2-love and down a break point in the second set. In a touch of irony that ignited the turnaround, Muchova missed a lunging forehand volley that sailed beyond the open court.

Pegula quickly capitalised by out-rallying Muchova from the baseline and connecting on more passing shots, defusing the Czech’s aggressive game.

When the American broke serve for 4-2, she pumped her fist and shouted, “Come on!” — a battle cry reminiscent of five-time U.S. champion Jimmy Connors, whose valiant comebacks riveted spectators.

When Muchova, still not tournament-tough, double-faulted, Pegula achieved the service break she needed to clinch the 6-4 set.

Riding the momentum, Pegula surged to a 4-1 lead in the deciding set. “It’s an incredible turnaround for the American,” said ESPN analyst Mary Joe Fernandez.

Pegula described herself as “determined,” and she needed that attribute to stave off a break point in the 14-point, seventh game to extend her lead to 5-2. Five points later, she broke Muchova’s serve again for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 comeback victory to reach her first Grand Slam final in her 23rd major appearance at her favourite tournament.

“If you would have told me at the beginning of the year I’d be in the finals of the US Open, I would have laughed so hard because that just was where my head was — I was not thinking that I would be here,” Pegula said. “So, to be able to overcome all those challenges and say that I get a chance at the title Saturday is what we play for as players, let alone being able to do that in my home country here, in my home slam. It’s perfect, really.”

While Pegula called reaching the final ‘a childhood dream’, Sabalenka hoped it wouldn’t be a nightmare repetition of the final a year ago. To ensure she wouldn’t have to listen to the cheering crowd — mostly for Pegula — when they entered the court, Sabalenka kept her earphones on.

“She looks to overpower opponents,” said Nick Kyrgios, who recently became an  ESPN analyst. “She’s a heavy favourite.” Another  ESPN analyst, Rennae Stubbs, who was trying to encourage Pegula’s fans, said, “The crowd could be a difference-maker.”

As rain pelted the closed roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium, the indoor conditions favoured the hard-hitting Sabalenka. IBM Match Insights made the Belarus Basher a 60 per cent favourite.

The fluctuating final had five service breaks in the opening set alone. When the American lost her serve for the second time to trail 4-2, she complained about her string tension — a detail that should have been dealt with before the match. “If she wants to win Majors, she has to add more power to her game,” advised Evert after Sabalenka fired a 119-mph ace to go ahead, 5-2.

Pegula fought back to convert her second break point to slice the lead to 5-4. Raising her arms to encourage even more crowd support, Pegula increasingly fed off the energy of the boisterous fans.

It wasn’t quite enough to turn the tide, though. Even when Sabalenka double-faulted to give her a break point for 5-all, 30-40 — and banged her racket on the hard court four times — Pegula couldn’t capitalise. Down 6-5, she staved off three set points before Sabalenka, flashing her touch, feathered a nifty drop shot Pegula couldn’t handle to take the first set, 7-5.

“Sabalenka had a meltdown in last year’s final against Coco,” Evert said. “That won’t happen this year. She’s learned her lesson.”

That prediction looked good. When the Belarusian won 12 of the next 14 points to race ahead 3-0, she made the classic mistake of being overconfident, later admitting she thought Pegula would give up. Instead, Pegula reignited her game and stunned the fans by grabbing the next five games.

Suddenly, the momentum shifted again. A trademark forehand down-the-line winner gave Sabalenka another service break to tie it up at 5-all. She put the American on her back foot with more rocket forehands to break again and wrap up the 7-5, 7-5 final.

When Pegula’s forehand sailed deep on championship point, Sabalenka went down on her back, with her hands covering her face. She then went to her player’s box to hug her team — coach Anton Dubrov, fitness coach Jason Stacey, her boyfriend Georgios, and hitting partner Andrei Vasilevski. In the post-match interview, she praised them. “Without them, I wouldn’t exist… I love you.”

“I’m speechless. So many times, I was so close, and it’s always been a dream of mine,” said Sabalenka, recalling her past US Open frustrations. “In the second set, I was praying. I remember those tough losses; never give up on your dream. I am super proud of myself.”

The new ‘Queen of Hard Courts’ racked up a near-perfect 30-6 record on the surface this year.

She joined Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, and Angelique Kerber as the only women to capture the Australian and US Opens in the same year.

Sabalenka proved she’s no longer an aimless groundstroke slugger, displaying more versatility than ever. “It’s really good to have these options in your pocket,” she said. “Like sometimes, you don’t feel your best on the baseline, and you can just go for a slice, or a drop shot, or come to the net. I mean, I’ve been always working on this variation on the court. I’m really glad that I’m brave enough to use these tools.”

More weapons in Sabalenka’s arsenal will undoubtedly boost her chances to win on Roland Garros clay and Wimbledon grass, where she’s never made the final at either Slam.

At 26, it’s too late to challenge Margaret Court (24 Major titles), Serena (23), or Graf (22), but unless No. 1 Swiatek matches Sabalenka’s increasingly all-court prowess and Gauff and Elena Rybakina regain their peak form, Sabalenka could dominate the rest of the decade.