Outside Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday night, dozens of tennis fans gathered, looking up at a screen broadcasting the match inside, the all-American men’s semifinal between Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz.
Many didn’t have tickets to be inside Arthur Ashe, but they were content just to be nearby and part of the atmosphere. Fans at the U.S. Open have been abuzz this week, excited that for the first time in more than two decades both an American man and an American woman will play in the U.S. Open singles finals.
Jessica Pegula will play Aryna Sabalenka in the women’s final on Saturday afternoon, and Taylor Fritz will take on Jannik Sinner for the men’s title on Sunday.
With Americans’ presence guaranteed in the finals, the grounds at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens have felt almost like the Fourth of July. Fans have been cheering more loudly than usual for American players, flocking to practices to catch a glimpse of their favorites and draping themselves in red, white and blue.
The last time the United States was represented in the men’s and women’s finals at the U.S. Open was in 2002. That year, the finals were an all-American affair with Pete Sampras defeating Andre Agassi in the men’s final, and Serena Williams taking the women’s title in a match against her sister, Venus Williams.
This year, fans said, has felt like the culmination of a moment that has been building in American tennis, especially after Coco Gauff won the U.S. Open last year.
Velvor Rhone, who lives in Manhattan, has been at the U.S. Open to watch Arthur Ashe, Sloane Stephens, Coco Gauff and both the Williams sisters win titles. She said the future of American tennis was “definitely promising.”
“I’m hoping that I get to watch Frances Tiafoe get his win at the U.S. Open,” she said on Friday afternoon.
The party at the Open started last week, with recording-breaking crowds over the first five days of the tournament, and the excitement around the Americans has been building to a fever pitch. On Thursday night, two American women were in the semifinals: Ms. Pegula and Emma Navarro, who was born in New York.
Throughout the night on Thursday, the crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium rallied behind the two American women, coming to life whenever either hit a winner or held a match. At times, the crowd even cheered when the non-American opponents lost a point.
Ms. Navarro ultimately lost to Ms. Sabalenka, who told reporters after the match that she had to contend with a crowd that seemed to favor a Navarro win.
“They’re cheering for her, but how can they help her to win the match?” Ms. Sabalenka said on Thursday night. “Only if I let them get into my head.” She added that the loudness of the stadium could be “the trickiest.”
On Friday afternoon, before the two American men took the court in Arthur Ashe to duel for a spot in the final, fans across the grounds were already eager to support the Americans.
Jen Otto, 50, and Ginny DeHart, 47, of Mississippi, showed their allegiance sartorially. Ms. Otto wore an American flag sweater, while Ms. DeHart’s blue shirt was printed with “U.S.A.” in red, white and blue lettering. She also wore red, white and blue earrings that looked like two strands of fireworks, dangling from her ears.
“Hey!” Ms. DeHart yelled. “We’re from the U.S.A.! We’re trying to make sure everyone knows we’re proud!” She then launched into her own rendition of “God Bless the U.S.A.,” the Lee Greenwood hit.
“I love our country,” Ms. Otto said. “We love Tiafoe, and we love Fritz. It’s going to be an amazing match. This is history tonight.”
Dozens of fans flocked to the practice courts on Friday afternoon to catch a glimpse of both men hours before their match. Fans erupted into cheers when Mr. Tiafoe, sporting a New York Knicks Carmelo Anthony jersey, walked onto Practice Court 1 in the northwest corner of the grounds.
Fans pulled out their phones to take pictures and videos, and when he was finished, his coach, David Witt, hit balls into the stands for the fans who had sat in the sun to watch the practice.
Kevin Smith, who caught one of the balls and had traveled to the tournament from Maryland, was excited about the all-American men’s semifinal
“It is a good time to be an American,” Mr. Smith, 34, said.
Lew Sherr, the chief executive and executive director of the United States Tennis Association, said in an interview on Friday that Americans’ performing well at the tournament had increased excitement and interest in the sport.
“Because it’s Americans trying to accomplish something we’ve not done for some time,” he said. “We’re all feeling the energy.”
The players are feeling the buzz, too. The crowd rallied around Ms. Pegula during her semifinal match on Thursday against Karolina Muchova. Loud cheers were dotted with “Come on, Jess” and “Let’s go, Jessie” from around the stadium.
After a flat start, Ms. Pegula said, the support from fans in the stadium helped her. Ms. Pegula won the match.
“I think the crowd really helped me get some adrenaline into me,” she said after the match.
On Friday, as the men’s semifinal match progressed, the crowd seemed to cheer equally loudly for each player, but then quickly quieted down during play, understanding the gravity of the moment.
“Come on, Taylor,” a fan in Section 131 yelled during the second set, quickly adding, “and also Frances!”
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