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Frances Tiafoe roared “let the best man win” as he goes head-to-head with Taylor Fritz for the prize of becoming the first American man to reach the US Open final since 2006.
Tiafoe and Fritz will battle it out in a blockbusting semi-final clash on Arthur Ashe, guaranteeing a home player in the men’s final for the first time since Andy Roddick lost to Roger Federer 18 years ago.
The pair are close friends and have driven each other on to the top of the game.
“The times I’m playing really bad or whatever the case may be and he’s doing it or vice versa, I think we have kind of always pushed each other,” Tiafoe said.
“Now I think it’s great that we get to compete against each other in such a big match, and I’m happy for him. I know he’s happy for me.
“Let the best man win come Friday. It’s going to be epic. Popcorn, do what you got to do. It’s going to be a fun one.”
Few players are more suited to a night session on Ashe than Tiafoe, whose wild energy connects well with the electric crowd.
“I mean, as personalities you can’t meet two more extreme,” he said.
“Taylor, he’s video game, never leave the room, goofball. I’m loud and obnoxious at times.
“But he’s also very funny. He’s got that, like, dry humour, smart ass, but at the same time that’s why we like each other because we are so different, and that’s why we get along so well.
“Then as competitors, we are very alike, hate to lose. We battle hard, but, I mean, personalities, we are very different. It’s funny to see our relationship how we’ve gotten older.”
Fritz was a little bit more reserved than his compatriot, but agreed it will be fun on what is almost certain to be the night session on Arthur Ashe.
“That’s going to be a lot of fun, and that’s going to be just electric,” the 26-year-old said.
“I think that it will be awesome for the fans, as well, to be guaranteed that one of us is going to be going to the final.”
PA
