Taylor Fritz, the No. 9 men’s seed, just suffered a brutal third-round upset at the US Open on Saturday, blowing a massive two-set lead against No. 24 Francisco Cerúndolo. The final scoreboard read 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 4-6, a crushing defeat that saw Fritz surrender the final three sets in dramatic fashion. This was a seriously disappointing day for American players, kicking off a tournament where expectations were high.
What Happened to Taylor Fritz?
Man, you gotta feel for Fritz, but what was that second half of the match? He came out firing, absolutely owning the court to take the first two sets 6-3, 6-4. We were all thinking, “Okay, easy path to the next round, right?” Wrong. So, so wrong. Cerúndolo, the No. 24 seed, just dug in, took the third, then the fourth, and then absolutely stomped on the gas in the fifth to close it out. Losing three straight sets after being up two, that’s a tough pill to swallow for any player, especially when you’re ranked No. 9. This isn’t just a loss, it’s a full-blown collapse and it leaves you wondering what mental blocks were in play.
A Worrying Trend for the American Star?
This isn’t just a one-off bad day, either. For Fritz, this third-round exit feels like a step backward in his Grand Slam journey. Remember 2024? He made it all the way to the US Open final before losing to Jannik Sinner. That felt like a moment, a real breakthrough! Then last year, 2025, he still hit the quarterfinals, only getting knocked out by the legendary Novak Djokovic. Now, in 2026, he can’t even get past the third round. What’s going on? Is the pressure getting to him? Is this a slump? The numbers are getting harder to ignore. We need to see more consistency from our top American talent.
Cerúndolo Brothers Are Balling Out
While American fans are scratching their heads, you gotta give credit where it’s due: the Cerúndolo brothers are having a year. Francisco pulled off this huge upset against Fritz, and honestly, the guy just looked unstoppable in those final sets. And get this: his younger brother, Juan Manuel, already made headlines earlier this year at the French Open. He pulled off his own shocker, knocking out none other than Jannik Sinner, who was the World No. 1 at the time, in the second round. Talk about a family business of upsetting top seeds! On the flip side for the Americans, Fritz wasn’t alone in his struggles today. No. 10 women’s seed Amanda Anisimova and No. 22 Madison Keys also got bounced in the third round. Just a tough, tough day for the red, white, and blue on the court.
What does this mean for the rest of the US Open? It means the field just got wilder, and with these kinds of upsets, anything can happen. We’re still early in the tournament, but man, what a way to shake things up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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