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A14 sports
Monday 9 SepteMber 2024
Jannik Sinner beats Taylor Fritz in the US Open men's final weeks

after doping exoneration

By HOWARD FENDRICH buckled enough to let Sin-
AP Tennis Writer ner pull even by breaking.
NEW YORK (AP) — Jannik Sinner used a drop shot to
Sinner beat Taylor Fritz 6-3, lure Fritz to the front court,
6-4, 7-5 with a relentless then slid a passing shot that
baseline game to win the Fritz volleyed into the net.
U.S. Open men's champi- Fritz bounced off his racket
onship on Sunday, less than off the court. Sinner loped
three weeks after being ex- to the towel box, not even
onerated in a doping case. smiling.
The No. 1-ranked Sinner, a About 10 minutes later, the
23-year-old from Italy, won victory was Sinner's thanks
the second Grand Slam tro- to a closing four-game run.
phy of his nascent career When it was over, Sinner
— the other was at the Aus- raised his arms, threw his
tralian Open in January — head back and closed his
and prevented No. 12 Fritz eyes.
from ending a major title He generally asserts him-
drought for American men self during matches in what
that has lasted 21 years. perhaps is best described
Andy Roddick's triumph at as a rather casual way.
Flushing Meadows in 2003 His style is less spectacu-
was the last Slam title for lar than solid, less magical
a man from the United Jannik Sinner, of Italy, reacts after defeating Taylor Fritz, of the United States, to win the men's than metronomic. Either
States. The last before Fritz, singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in New York. way, it was masterful, using
Associated Press
a 26-year-old from Califor- his long limbs and squeak-
nia, to even contest a final plished. end Travis Kelce, some misses, that helped Fritz ing, sliding sneakers to get
at one of the four biggest Less than a week before spectators occasionally break back to eventually to everything before aim-
tournaments in tennis also competition began at engaged in chants of "U-S- lead 3-2 after 20 minutes. ing high-speed shot after
was Roddick, who lost to Flushing Meadows, the A!" between games or rose That was pretty much the shot right near lines — and
Roger Federer at Wimble- world found out that Sinner to their feet whenever he last significant highlight for usually succeeding.
don in 2009. had tested positive twice managed to pick up what Fritz or his fans until 3-all in the Neither player seemed all
Sinner extended his cur- for anabolic steroids in felt in the moment like a third set, when he smacked that interested in ventur-
rent winning streak to 11 March but was cleared be- crucial point. an overhead winner to get ing forward Sunday unless
matches and improved cause his use was ruled un- Fritz is not the sort to show to 15-30, punched the air forced to, instead content
to 55-5 with a tour-high six intentional — the banned much in the way of emo- and screamed, "Let's go!" to ply their forehands and
titles in 2024. That includes substance entered his sys- tion, often greeting those People in the stands rose, backhands from the back
a 35-2 mark on hard courts, tem via a massage from instances with a little shake applauding and shouting. of the court.
the surface used at both a team member he later of his neon-colored racket. After Fritz deposited a vol- That's decidedly Sinner's
the Australian Open and fired. When he was broken in the ley winner to earn a break territory.
U.S. Open, and he is the As expected, Fritz enjoyed match's first game, an in- point a minute later, he cel- By the end, Sinner, the sec-
first man since Guillermo something of a home-court auspicious start that includ- ebrated in the same fash- ond Italian to win a singles
Vilas in 1977 to win his first advantage on a cool after- ed a bad miss of a smash, ion, and thousands around title at the U.S. Open, join-
two Grand Slam trophies noon under a nearly cloud- Fritz grinned sarcastically. him went wild. Sinner then ing 2015 women's cham-
in the same season, some- less sky. In a celebrity-filled Sinner showed some jitters, double-faulted, putting Fritz pion Flavia Pennetta, had
thing such greats as Novak crowd that included Taylor too, and when he played a in front 4-3. an impressive ledger: just
Djokovic, Rafael Nadal Swift and her boyfriend, loose game that included But when he tried to serve 21 unforced errors, 13 fewer
and Federer never accom- Kansas City Chiefs tight a double-fault and other out the set at 5-4, Fritz than Fritz, and 23 winners.q

Roglic protects lead on final day to win

Spanish Vuelta for a record-equaling 4th time

Roglic finished the It's not only me. My family, gacar, had won the other
24.6-kilometer(15.3-mile) everyone around, we all Grand Tour races this year
time trial without any scares, sacrifice dearly for this. I just — the Tour de France and
and his overall lead of more feel happy that I can do it. I Giro d'Italia.
than two minutes was never really appreciate the support It was Roglic's first Vuelta tri-
in jeopardy.He ended cy- that I get." umph since switching from
cling's final Grand Tour of Roglic was second in the final team Jumbo Visma to Red
the year 2 minutes, 36 sec- time trial Sunday, ending 31 Bull Bora Hansgrohe.
onds ahead of Australia's Ben seconds behind stage winner Roglic, a Tokyo Olympic gold
Primoz Roglic of Slovenia lifts the trophy after winning La Vuelta O'Connor, who led for nearly Stefan Küng of Switzerland. medalist in the individual time
cycling race during the last stage in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, two weeks. Enric Mas finished Roglic matched the record trial, got off to a slow start this
Sept. 8, 2024. third overall, more than three of four titles won by Spanish year but gradually cut into
Associated Press minutes off the lead. rider Roberto Heras in 2000 the lead of O'Connor. Roglic
By TALES AZZONI fourth Spanish Vuelta title "I wanted to finish it off. It was and 2003-05. The Slovenian finally took the leader's red
AP Sports Writer after successfully protecting tough but everything went rider's other victories came jersey on Friday after a cou-
MADRID (AP) — Primoz Ro- his lead in the final individual fine and I'm happy," Roglic from 2019-21. ple of strong runs on difficult
glic won a record-equaling time trial on Sunday. said. "It's a lot of sacrifice. Another Slovenian, Tadej Po- climbing stages.q