And then there were two...
An exciting semifinal round of men's and women's singles play concluded Friday evening at the 2024 US Open. Now that we’re down to two men and women in each singles draw, let’s take a look at the numbers that are currently moving the needle in Flushing Meadows.
1: Jannik Sinner becomes the first Italian man to reach the final of the US Open. It’s been a great Flushing fortnight for the Italians. In mixed doubles, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori became the first all-Italian pair to secure a mixed doubles Grand Slam title in tennis history.
2: Number of first-time US Open singles champions that will be crowned this weekend. Of the four players competing in the finals on championship weekend, only Aryna Sabalenka has played in a US Open final before.
3: Jessica Pegula is the third American woman to make the US Open finals after turning 30, joining Serena Williams and Martina Navratilova.
4: Sinner will bid to become the fourth man to win the Australian Open and the US Open in the same season since the Aussie Open switched to hard courts in 1988. Mats Wilander, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are the other three men that have achieved the feat.
4: Sabalenka has reached four major finals, all of them on hard courts.
5: With her semifinal victory over Emma Navarro, Sabalenka became the first player to reach back-to-back singles finals at the US Open in five years, since Serena Williams (2018-19).
6: Sinner is making his sixth US Open appearance. He will bid for his sixth title of 2024 in Sunday’s final.
7: Taylor Fritz defeated Frances Tiafoe for the seventh consecutive time on Friday night to reach his maiden Grand Slam final, 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
8: New career-high ranking of Navarro, who will rise from No. 12 to No. 8 in next week’s WTA rankings as a result of reaching her maiden Grand Slam semifinal in New York.
9: Years since a player last made her Grand Slam final debut after turning 30. Jessica Pegula is the first to achieve the feat since Roberta Vinci in 2015.
10: The length of Jannik Sinner’s current winning streak, which dates back to the start of his run to the title at the Cincinnati Open in August.
11: Years since a player younger than Sabalenka reached back-to-back finals at the US Open (Victoria Azarenka, 2012-2013). Also the length of the 26-year-old’s current winning streak, which dates back to the start of her Cincinnati title run.
12: Fritz is the 12th American man to reach a US Open men’s singles final in the Open Era. Below are the other eleven:
Andy Roddick – 2003, 2006
Andre Agassi – 1990, 1994-95, 1999, 2002, 2005
Pete Sampras – 1990, 1992-93, 1995-96, 2000-02
Todd Martin – 1999
Michael Chang – 1996
Jim Courier – 1991
John McEnroe – 1979-81, 1984-85
Jimmy Connors – 1974-78, 1982-83
Vitas Gerulaitis – 1979
Stan Smith - 1971
Arthur Ashe – 1968, 1972
13: 2024 Australian Open champions Sabalenka and Sinner enter the weekend carrying 13-match winning streaks at the hard court majors.
15: Years since an American man has contested a Grand Slam singles final (2009, Wimbledon, Roddick). Welcome to the club, Taylor Fritz.
16: Number of wins Sabalenka has notched against the Top 20 in 2024 (16-4).
18: Number of years since an American man took his place in the US Open men’s singles final (2006, US Open, Roddick). Fritz will face Jannik Sinner for the title on Sunday.
21: Fritz will bid to become the first American to win a men’s singles Grand Slam title in 21 years on Sunday against Fritz. Andy Roddick is the last man to achieve the feat, at the 2003 US Open.
22-2: Jannik Sinner’s record at the majors in 2024. He leads all players in victories at the Grand Slams this season.
23: Age of Sinner, who is the youngest of the four active players that have reached the semifinals at all four majors (also Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Marin Cilic).
26-1: Sabalenka’s record in her last four major appearances on hard court.
26.25: Average age of this weekend’s finalists: Sinner (23), Fritz (26), Sabalenka (26), Pegula (30).
30: Age of Pegula, who became the oldest American woman to make a maiden Grand Slam final at this year’s US Open.
33: Number of Grand Slam main-draw appearances Fritz has made, including this fortnight. Fritz is making his ninth US Open appearance.
34-2: Sinner’s record on hard courts in 2024; Fritz is 19-7.
75: Sabalenka’s forehand winner count through six rounds.
215: Number of winners cracked by Sinner through six matches at the Open, including 79 off the forehand wing.
2009: The last year a player not from Europe won a men’s singles Grand Slam title (Juan Martin del Potro, 2009 US Open).
