Taylor Fritz keeps American men’s US Open hopes alive with straight-sets win over Tomas Machac

The fourth seed routed No. 21 Tomas Machac 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 at Louis Armstrong Stadium to reach the US Open quarterfinals for the third straight year, leaving him the last American man remaining in singles.

Taylor Fritz advanced to the US Open quarterfinals Saturday with a commanding straight-sets victory over No. 21 seed Tomas Machac, preserving what remains of the American men’s presence at Flushing Meadows. The 27-year-old fourth seed beat the Czech in 1 hour, 38 minutes, winning 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Fritz’s serve dominated the match. He produced 14 aces, conceded only 13 points on his service games, and did not face a single break point. He converted crucial return opportunities as well, breaking Machac late in each of the first two sets and opening the third when Machac double-faulted, then cruising to the finish. Fritz won 35 of 39 points on his first serve, an overwhelming 90 percent conversion rate that left little margin for the 21-year-old challenger to mount a comeback.

Fritz’s victory extends a run of consistency at the U.S. Open: it is his third consecutive trip to the quarterfinals at the season’s final Grand Slam. The result also leaves him as the last American man standing in the singles draw after the early exits of higher-profile compatriots. No. 6 seed Ben Shelton, No. 14 Tommy Paul and No. 17 Frances Tiafoe were all eliminated earlier in the tournament, leaving the burden of national expectation on Fritz’s shoulders.

From the opening ball, Fritz set the tone with aggressive serving and simplified decision-making on return games. He broke Machac late in the first set to claim a 6-4 opener, then again seized control in the second by converting another late break. The third set began with a Machac double fault that handed Fritz a quick break and momentum he preserved to the end. Machac’s opportunities were limited; the Czech struggled to find a consistent answer to Fritz’s first-serve percentage and speed.

The statistical story reinforced the eye test. Fritz’s 14 aces underlined his ability to finish points outright, while his 35-for-39 success rate on first-serve points suggests both precision and power in serve placement. His concession of just 13 points on serve across the match and the absence of faced break points underscored a level of service dominance rarely matched at the later stages of a Grand Slam.

Machac, seeded 21st, entered the match as a dangerous opponent capable of stretching top players with his groundstroke depth and movement, but he was unable to capitalize on the few return opportunities he generated. The double fault that gave Fritz an early break in the third set was a costly error that the Czech could not recover from against an opponent who was not only serving well but converting short windows into decisive holds.

Fritz’s performance came with the added narrative of American men’s recent struggles at major tournaments. Over the course of this US Open, several of the country’s highest-ranked men exited earlier than anticipated. Ben Shelton’s departure as the tournament’s sixth seed, and the losses by Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe, left the American contingent depleted. Fritz’s progress keeps U.S. representation intact in the later rounds, though the field narrows progressively toward the title rounds.

This appearance marks the third straight year Fritz has reached the US Open quarterfinals, a streak that speaks to his familiarity with the New York conditions and his ability to navigate the pressures of a home Grand Slam. Through the first week, he had dropped a set in each of his prior two matches; Saturday’s straight-sets win represented a cleaner, more authoritative showing.

Tournament officials played the match on Louis Armstrong Stadium, where the larger crowd and the evening atmosphere can amplify the stakes for home players. Fritz’s capacity to hold serve under those conditions — and to convert return breaks at decisive moments — kept him in full control throughout the encounter.

With Saturday’s victory, Fritz advances to the final eight of the US Open and will wait to learn his quarterfinal opponent as the remaining fourth-round matches conclude. The win keeps alive both his individual momentum and the broader narrative of an American contender still in the mix as the tournament heads into its second week.

Fritz’s path forward will test whether his serving form and tactical composure can be sustained against the deeper opposition that typically populates the latter stages of a Grand Slam. For now, his straight-sets victory over Machac maintained his streak of deep runs at Flushing Meadows and left American men with at least one representative still vying for a place in the semifinals.