Taylor Fritz leaned on his dominant forehand to beat Argentine Camilo Ugo Carabelli 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 on Monday and reach the second round of the US Open.
World number 12 Fritz, the highest ranked of 17 American men in the main draw, won 79 per cent of points on his first serve and converted seven of 11 break-point chances to secure victory on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
In the first meeting between the two players, Fritz needed a bit of time to find his rhythm and was made to come back from an early break down before securing the opening set when he broke Ugo Carabelli for a third time.
The second set was all one-way traffic as Fritz faced just one break point while building a 5-0 lead before Ugo Carabelli finally held serve only for the American to close out the frame on his serve.
With victory in sight and the home crowd firmly on his side, Fritz broke at love to go 3-2 up in the third set and broke again before serving out the match with a love hold that was capped with a pair of aces.
Up next for Fritz, looking to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open, will be a clash with Italy’s Matteo Berrettini.
Frances Tiafoe beats fellow American Kovacevic
In the other first round match, Frances Tiafoe held off fellow American Aleksandar Kovacevic to come away with a 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 win.
Tiafoe, seeded 20th, remained composed, even as the pressure ramped up, to advance as he looks to make good on his promise to win his home Grand Slam after his scintillating run to the semi-finals two years ago put him firmly on the map.
Kovacevic, a New York native making his U.S. Open debut, looked a little nervy serving in the 10th game of the opener and Tiafoe took full advantage, leaping high in the air to pound an overhead and grab the first set.
Tiafoe smoked a service return for a 4-2 lead in the second and took a 2-0 lead when Kovacevic’s one-handed backhand sailed long.
Kovacevic came to life in the third, hitting a sensational around-the-net forehand winner in the fourth game to peel off some of the support from the pro-Tiafoe crowd and breaking serve for a second time to force a fourth set.
But Tiafoe would not be denied, breaking for a 6-5 lead in the fourth and converting his fifth match point to seal the win.
Thunderstorms forced the closure of the roof on Louis Armstrong Stadium and Tiafoe said the change in conditions had a big impact.
“It got pretty tough there at the end,” Tiafoe said.
“When they closed the roof it was really muggy in here. I was really struggling breathing midway in the third and most of the fourth.
“At the end of the fourth I started feeling much better and I was trying to do everything I could to finish in four. But definitely tough, muggy conditions tonight.”
Tiafoe has struggled to find momentum and wins this season but has looked sharper of late, reaching the final of the Cincinnati Open last week to break back into the top 20.
“Cincinnati was such a great week, I’m just trying to gain steam from that,” he said.
Next up for Tiafoe is a second-round meeting with Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan.
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