New York (AFP) – Emma Navarro reached her first Grand Slam semi-final at the US Open on Tuesday as fellow Americans Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz attempted to move closer to ending the country’s 21-year wait for a male champion at the majors. Navarro, the world number 13, who knocked out defending champion Coco Gauff in the fourth round, defeated Paula Badosa of Spain 6-2, 7-5 after trailing 5-1 in the second set. She will face either second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka or Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen for a place in the final.
“When I got to 5-2, I had an inkling that I’d win in two sets,” said Navarro, who had lost in the first round on her only other two appearances at the tournament. Navarro, 23, capitalised on Badosa’s 35 unforced errors while she committed just 15. “I was a complete disaster today,” admitted Badosa, who was on the brink of retirement just three months ago due to a persistent back injury.
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If Zheng defeats Sabalenka later Tuesday, it will set up an intriguing showdown after Navarro blasted the Chinese star following her defeat at the Olympics. Navarro accused Zheng of being a “cut-throat” and of showing a “lack of respect.”
“They’ll come after me,” said the American. “They are both big hitters. They will come after me but I’ll be ready.”
Tiafoe and Fritz were only five years old when Andy Roddick won the 2003 US Open final, a victory achieved on the cusp of the sport’s domination by the ‘Big Three’ of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. That was the last time an American man lifted a Grand Slam singles trophy. However, with Federer long retired, Nadal injured, and Djokovic, as well as modern-day superstar Carlos Alcaraz, knocked out early this year, the final Grand Slam of the season is wide open.
World number 20 Tiafoe is in the quarter-finals for the third successive year, having made the semi-finals in 2022 where he lost in five sets to eventual champion Alcaraz. Along the way, he defeated four-time champion Nadal in the last 16, and back in 2017, he famously pushed Federer to five sets in the first round.
“Grand Slams, two weeks, a lot going on,” said Tiafoe. “You can’t get ahead of yourself and look at what could happen and things shaking out. Everyone is good, so it doesn’t really matter who’s in or who’s not.”
On Tuesday, under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights, the 26-year-old takes on Grigor Dimitrov, who at 33 is the oldest man left in the draw. The Bulgarian is seeking a second semi-final spot in New York after making the last four in 2019. Back then, Dimitrov defeated Federer in the last eight, ending the Swiss legend’s US Open career before losing to Daniil Medvedev. Widely regarded as one of the finest players never to win a Grand Slam title, Dimitrov has yet to even make a final at the majors after 15 years of trying.
Fritz tackles fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev, who was runner-up to Dominic Thiem in the 2020 final where he gave up a two-set lead. The German star also came off second-best to Alcaraz in the French Open final in June in another five-setter.
“I’m doing everything I can to win a Slam, everything else is out of my power,” said Zverev, chasing a third semi-final in New York. “I’m trying my best and hopefully it will be enough at some stage in my career.”
Fritz made the last eight in 2023 and has already reached three quarter-finals at the Slams this year. The 12th-ranked American defeated Zverev in the fourth round at Wimbledon from two sets down, with the German hampered by a knee injury which forced him to complete the match “on one leg.”
Zheng seeks to avenge her Australian Open final defeat to Sabalenka. The Chinese star has made the quarter-finals for a second successive year after losing to Sabalenka in 2023. Zheng has already made history at this year’s US Open by defeating Donna Vekic in the latest ever finish for a women’s match at 2:15 a.m. on Monday. She is bidding to become the third Chinese woman to reach the semi-finals after Li Na in 2013 and Peng Shuai in 2014.
© 2024 AFP
