Taylor Fritz, the ninth seed and one of the basic American hopes at the US Open, lost in five sets to Francisco Cerundolo after leading by two sets. Fritz looked in control early, but 24th seed Cerundolo 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. Ben Shelton remains among the U.S. players, with Frances Tiafoe also still in the draw. Tommy Paul and Alex Michelsen are still competing, as is Learner Tien. 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, showing 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. He 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. Those circumstances 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 produced more surprises. Fifth seed Flavio Cobolli lost to Belgium’s Alexander Blockx 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 handle early pressure in the third. Zverev joked that he was learning best-of-five matches do not always go the distance. He said he was happy with his progress but still saw room to improve.
Favorites have struggled from the start. Fourth seed Novak Djokovic lost in five sets to Mariano Navone on day one, ending his bid for a 25th Grand Slam. Tenth seed Arthur Fils was knocked out by Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first round. Third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and sixth seed Alex de Minaur both went out in the second round. Those 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 propelled him into the fourth round and 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 noted how injuries and upsets have changed the picture in New York.
The number of upsets is striking, as established players have struggled under pressure. Fritz let a match he controlled slip away. Cobolli’s final set ended quickly, while Djokovic’s exit was emotional.
