Sep 6, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA; Jannik Sinner of Italy in action against Jack Draper of Great Britain on day twelve of the U.S. Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images/ File Photo
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jannik Sinner will hope to block out a rocking home crowd on Sunday when he faces Taylor Fritz in the U.S. Open final at Flushing Meadows, where the 12th seed will be bidding to become the first American man in 21 years to win a Grand Slam singles title.
U.S. fans had become accustomed to celebrating the triumphs of American men for decades, with the likes of Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Jim Courier, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi collecting 41 slams between them from the 1970s to the early 2000s.
But since Andy Roddick won his sole major on Arthur Ashe Stadium in 2003, American men have failed to win any of the four majors.
With the barren run lasting for 82 consecutive slams, New York fans will be turning up the volume to deafening levels on Sunday as they get behind Fritz and hope he can finally snap that losing streak.
"I'm gonna accept that. I have my team and my people who are close to me," said Italian top seed Sinner. "In my mind, I know that there are many people watching from home from Italy, and it's just take some support from them."
Sinner has enjoyed an extraordinary year with a major breakthrough at the Australian Open and was in top form as he won the Cincinnati tune-up tournament last month.
But he did not get the hero's welcome a U.S. Open top seed usually enjoys when they arrive in New York, with a doping saga overshadowing his on-court exploits.
Days before the tournament began, the International Tennis Integrity Agency said that he tested positive twice for an anabolic agent in March but avoided a ban when an independent tribunal accepted his claim that the positive tests were the result of an unintentional contamination.
Some players and members of the media cried foul but Sinner tuned out the complaints as he marched through the men's draw, downing former champion Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals before beating Briton Jack Draper in a chaotic semi-final.
"We went just day by day, really, with not so many expectations. Trying to find my game, trying to find our rhythm," said Sinner. "Just trying to find confidence throughout the days."
The biggest question mark over his chances now is whether he damaged his wrist following a fall during the semi-final, as he braced himself with his left hand when he fell to the court.
"The physio (loosened) it up very fast on court, so after I felt OK in the beginning. Then, after, it went away by playing, which is good," Sinner told reporters.
He will be ready to deploy all the weapons in his arsenal against the 12th seed Fritz, who wants to defy the odds again after a convincing run through Flushing Meadows.
Fritz beat former finalists Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev en route to the all-American semi-final, where he outlasted Frances Tiafoe.
He possesses one of the most lethal serves in the sport and sent over 75 aces across the tournament.
He is also brimming with confidence that he can end the U.S. men's major drought on Sunday, with his career head-to-head against Sinner deadlocked at 1-1.
"I've always enjoyed playing him," said Fritz. "I have a feeling I'm going to come out and play really well and win. When I play good tennis, I think that level is good enough to win."
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
