Taylor Fritz lost a two-set lead and crashed out of the US Open. Francisco Cerundolo came back to reach the fourth round. Several top seeds have already been eliminated in New York.
Taylor Fritz, the ninth seed and one of the main American hopes at the US Open, lost in five sets to Francisco Cerundolo after leading by two sets. Fritz looked in control early, but Cerundolo, seeded 24th, turned the match around to win 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 and reach the fourth round. The ATP called it one of the tournament's biggest surprises, given Fritz's top-10 ranking and recent results.
Fritz’s loss makes him the sixth top-10 seed to exit the men’s draw before the tournament’s halfway point, leaving the top half of the bracket wide open. Fritz, who reached the final at Flushing Meadows in 2024, had hoped to join other Americans in the last sixteen. Instead, attention now shifts to Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul, Alex Michelsen, and Learner Tien as the remaining U.S. players. CBS Sports called Fritz's early exit one of the biggest shocks in this year's men's draw.
Before the match, betting and statistical models gave Fritz an 86% chance of victory, underlining the scale of Cerundolo's upset.
Fritz broke early in the third set and seemed to be cruising, but Cerundolo responded, broke back, and took control of the next two sets. Cerundolo later said he played poorly in the first two sets but gained confidence after breaking in the third, then found his rhythm in the fourth and fifth. Fritz, clearly shaken, said he could not explain how the match slipped away and would need time off before returning to training. The loss stings even more with world number one Jannik Sinner out injured and Carlos Alcaraz only recently back from a wrist problem, which had raised hopes for an American breakthrough in the men’s singles for the first time since Andy Roddick’s 2003 title.
The men’s draw saw more surprises. Flavio Cobolli, the fifth seed, lost to Alexander Blockx of Belgium in four sets, dropping the last set to love in just 20 minutes. Cobolli, a French Open finalist, blamed fatigue and nerves. With Fritz and Cobolli both out, only Alexander Zverev and 14th seed Learner Tien remain from the top 20 in the upper half. Zverev, the top seed and French Open champion, beat Alejandro Tabilo in straight sets, but had to save two set points and deal with early pressure in the third. Zverev joked about learning that best-of-five matches do not always go the distance, saying he was happy with his progress but still saw room to improve.
Favorites have struggled from the start. Novak Djokovic, the fourth seed, lost in five sets to Mariano Navone on day one, ending his bid for a 25th Grand Slam. Arthur Fils, seeded tenth, was knocked out by Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first round. Felix Auger-Aliassime, the third seed, and Alex de Minaur, seeded sixth, both went out in the second round. These exits seemed to clear a path for Fritz and Cobolli, but both fell short, leaving the draw unsettled.
Cerundolo described his win on Arthur Ashe Stadium as 'fantastic', noting it was his first match on the iconic court. His victory not only propelled him into the fourth round but also made the upper half of the draw far less predictable after several favorites were eliminated early.
ATP
With so many top players gone, the men’s tournament has become unpredictable. Cerundolo will play Blockx for a place in the quarterfinals, while Zverev faces Luciano Darderi. Recent coverage of Carlos Alcaraz’s return has also pointed out how injuries and upsets have changed the picture in New York.
The number of upsets is striking, but so is the way established players have struggled under pressure. Fritz let a match he controlled slip away, Cobolli lost quickly at the end, and Djokovic’s exit was emotional. The men’s draw has turned into a test of resilience, with new faces now in position to take advantage. This year, momentum has mattered more than reputation, and the next champion may be the one who handles the chaos best.
