WATCH: Taylor Fritz embraces Frances Tiafoe after grueling five-setter, roars in celebration in front of home crowd as he clinches US Open final spot

Taylor Fritz defeated Frances Tiafoe in a grueling five-setter in their 2024 US Open semifinal. After the match, the Americans embraced at the net before Fritz roared in celebration in front of his home crowd.

12th seed Fritz faced 20th seed Tiafoe at the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday, September 6, in a semifinal that lived up to its hype. Several tennis legends, including Andy Roddick and Stan Smith, soaked in the atmosphere from the stands as the pair battled it out on the court.

A topsy-turvy first set saw Fritz jump to a 3-0 lead, but Tiafoe fought back, winning five consecutive games and eventually taking the set.

The second set was more tightly contested, with Fritz breaking Tiafoe at 6-5 to level the match. In the third, Tiafoe gained an early break, putting him one set away from the final, but Fritz rallied to win the fourth, forcing a decider.

The fifth and final set was the only one-sided affair, with Fritz dominating to secure a 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory and advance to the final. Fritz served an ace at 5-1, 40-0, to complete his triumph.

Soon after, the pair embraced each other at the net, and the winner let out a scream of relief as he became the first American man to reach a Grand Slam singles final since Roddick at Wimbledon in 2009.

Watch Fritz's emotional reaction below:

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"It’s the reason I do what I do, the reason why I work so hard" - Taylor Fritz on reaching US Open final after defeating Frances Tiafoe

Taylor Fritz at the US Open 2024 (Image: Getty)

During his post-match interview, 26-year-old Taylor Fritz was emotional. After getting the better of his compatriot Frances Tiafoe, Fritz now has a chance to end the USA's 21-year wait for a male Grand Slam singles champion since Andy Roddick's 2003 US Open triumph.

“It’s the reason I do what I do, the reason why I work so hard. I’m in the finals of the US Open,” Taylor Fritz said as he teared up.

“It’s a dream come true and I’m going to give it everything I possibly have. I know that for a fact.”

12th seed Fritz faces a mammoth task in his first-ever Grand Slam final as he takes on World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. The Italian defeated Jack Draper 7-5, 7-6(3), 6-2 in the semifinal.

This will be the third encounter between Sinner and Fritz, with the pair tied at 1-1. Both those matches have come at the Indian Wells Masters, with the American winning in 2021 and the Italian making his mark in 2023.