Taylor Fritz Devastated After Dramatic US Open Defeat: “I Don’t Want to Talk to Anybody”

Taylor Fritz initially had a two sets to love lead against Francisco Cerundolo in the third round of the US Open, which they played on Saturday (September 5). But Fritz, to his utter disappointment, squandered the opportunity.

The Argentine ace clawed his way back into the game to stun the 2024 US Open runner-up with a 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 scoreline and booked his spot in the fourth round of the New York Major for the first time in his career. Fritz, who had the chance to serve for the match at 5-3 in the deciding set, was devastated after the upset, not believing how he let the opportunity slip away.

I mean, yeah. I don’t even know what to say. I don’t really want to talk to anybody, see anybody. I kind of just need to get out for a couple days and get back to work. I don’t know how I let that happen today.

Taylor Fritz said at the press conference

Fritz had a great chance to finally end American men’s Grand Slam title drought in the absence of the favorites. Last year’s runner-up and World No.1 Jannik Sinner withdrew after injuring his knee, while four-time US Open champion Novak Djokovic suffered a shock five-set upset in the first round against Mariano Navone while struggling physically.

Then there is defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who is competing in his first tournament after a four-month injury hiatus. Back in 2024, he reached his career’s first Grand Slam final, which also marked the first time an American man reached the US Open title clash since Andy Roddick‘s victory in 2003. But the 28-year-old lost in straight sets to Sinner.

Cerundolo will next be facing Alexander Blockx, who upset this year’s French Open runner-up Flavio Cobolli in four sets. Competing as the 24th seed, Cerundolo will be playing the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the fourth time.

Taylor Fritz gives health update after his US Open defeat

Taylor Fritz has been playing tennis with a chronic right knee tendinitis issue since the start of the 2026 season. At the press conference after his upset in his home Slam, Fritz revealed that although the knee issue didn’t bother him during this tournament, he believes it can flare up at times.

There’s no doubt that tomorrow morning I’m going to feel a little stiff, but it’s not something that ever came into effect in this match. I was moving full the entire match up, all the way up, until the end of the fifth set. I felt like I was giving it everything I had, and it wasn’t an issue.

This year, Fritz made one Grand Slam quarterfinal, at Wimbledon, losing that match to eventual runner-up Alexander Zverev. Apart from the 2024 US Open, Fritz has made just one Grand Slam semifinal, at the 2025 US Open.

It’s getting better. If I win this match, who knows where it’s at for the next, like maybe it’s good, maybe it’s bad. I don’t want to speak too soon because I started to be really positive about it during the grass-court season, and then out of nowhere I started to feel it in the quarter [at Wimbledon]. So who knows?

Taylor Fritz added

Fritz has played four finals this season. Compatriot Ben Shelton beat him at the Dallas Open and the Stuttgart Open, while Frances Tiafoe denied him the win at the Halle Open.

But the World No.10 ended his title drought by defeating rising star Rafael Jodar at the Citi Open. After the Washington event, he lost in the opening round of the Canadian Open and the quarterfinal of the Cincinnati Open.

Also read: Madison Keys Gives Heartbreaking Reality on her US Open Collapse Against Qinwen Zheng