Tennis-Fritz beats young compatriot Blanch in easy US Open start

American Taylor Fritz harnessed his mighty ​serve to roll into the second round of ​the U.S. Open on Tuesday, beating ‌compatriot Darwin ​Blanch 6-3 6-2 6-4 in the second match of the day at Arthur Ashe Stadium. A finalist in 2024, Fritz looked right at home in New York ‌against the 18-year-old wildcard, hitting 14 aces to set up a meeting with Mattia Bellucci of Italy.

"It's never easy to come out and play another young American," said Fritz, who had a withering appraisal of his own return game. "He gave ‌me a lot of opportunities with some doubles, with some second serves."

Fritz had a mixed run-up to New ‌York, winning in D.C. before losing his Montreal opener, but he had no issues on Tuesday, as he dropped only one first-serve point in the opening set and got the break in the sixth game. He wore down Blanch's defences in the second set, converting on his ⁠fourth break ​point in the fifth game ⁠and again in the seventh, as costly errors began to pile up for the teenager.

Blanch let another shot go past the baseline on ⁠break point in the opening game of the third set and Fritz slammed his foot on the gas from there, extinguishing ​the only two break points he faced in the second game with an ace and a punishing backhand. He ⁠sealed it with an unreturnable serve, giving the home fans more reason to cheer after Frances Tiafoe survived a five-set thriller and Ben ⁠Shelton ​recovered from a set down in Monday's night session.

The trio carry the added burden of trying to end a 23-year wait for an American men’s Grand Slam champion on home soil. "As a top American, you have a ⁠lot of expectations. It's normal to be nervy," said Fritz.

"And when I saw Ben's first set, like, just makes ⁠me feel like, yeah, if ⁠it happens, it happens. He regrouped and won the match pretty routinely afterwards, and it kind of gave me the reassurance, hey, if I come out nervy, play ‌a bad first ‌set, no need to panic."