NEW YORK — Francisco Cerundolo has turned the 2026 US Open men’s singles draw upside down.
The 24th-seeded Argentine erased a two-set deficit to defeat ninth seed Taylor Fritz, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, on Arthur Ashe Stadium, ending the American’s title hopes and advancing to the fourth round of the tournament.
The comeback was particularly striking because Fritz appeared firmly in control early. The American had entered the match without dropping a set in his first two rounds and was being viewed as one of the leading candidates to challenge for the men’s title.
But Cerundolo refused to fold.
After dropping the opening two sets, the Argentine gradually turned the match around, raising his level from the third set onward while Fritz began committing costly errors. Cerundolo eventually secured the decisive break in the fifth set before closing out one of the biggest comebacks of the tournament.
From two sets down to a career milestone
The victory sends Cerundolo into the fourth round of the US Open for the first time.
It also marked only the second time in his career that he had recovered from two sets down to win a Grand Slam match. The Argentine had already endured a five-set battle in the previous round, making his latest victory another physically demanding performance.
Cerundolo acknowledged afterward that Fritz had been the better player during the opening two sets.
But once he began finding his rhythm, the momentum changed dramatically.
The Argentine’s powerful groundstrokes repeatedly forced Fritz to defend from the baseline, while his composure became increasingly important as the match moved toward a tense fifth set.
Fritz’s US Open campaign ends in painful fashion
For Fritz, the defeat represents a major missed opportunity.
The American was the ninth seed and had reached the US Open final in 2024. He was also hoping to strengthen the United States’ hopes of ending a 23-year wait for an American men’s singles champion at Flushing Meadows.
Instead, his campaign ended in the third round.
The loss was especially painful because Fritz had controlled much of the opening half of the match. According to Reuters, he had saved 11 of 13 break points across the first two sets before Cerundolo gradually seized control.
The Argentine eventually forced Fritz into uncomfortable exchanges, and the American’s frustration became increasingly visible.
‘Wide open’ men’s draw
Cerundolo’s comeback could have consequences far beyond his own run.
He described this year’s men’s competition as exceptionally open, a view supported by the growing number of high-profile exits during the first week.
Novak Djokovic, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alex de Minaur are among the major names already eliminated, while fifth seed Flavio Cobolli also fell on Saturday to 28th seed Alexander Blockx. Reuters reported that only four top-10 seeds remained after the latest wave of upsets.
That has dramatically changed the complexion of the tournament.
Players who might normally have faced a daunting path through several elite opponents now have a more realistic opportunity to reach the quarterfinals, semifinals and potentially the championship match.
The Guardian likewise highlighted the increasingly unpredictable nature of the tournament, noting that several major contenders have already departed while the remaining field looks considerably less predictable than usual.
Cerundolo now faces another dangerous test
The reward for Cerundolo is another difficult fourth-round matchup.
He is scheduled to face Alexander Blockx, the Belgian 28th seed who produced another major upset by defeating fifth seed Flavio Cobolli.
That means Cerundolo will not have an easy route simply because Fritz is gone.
Blockx has already demonstrated that he can handle pressure on the biggest stage, while Cerundolo arrives after consecutive five-set battles.
The winner will move into the US Open quarterfinals.
And suddenly, a tournament that appeared to have a handful of obvious contenders has become much harder to predict.
Why this matters
Cerundolo’s victory is more than another upset on the US Open scoreboard.
It is another sign that the 2026 men’s tournament has become remarkably open, with several highly seeded players already gone and opportunities emerging for players who entered the tournament outside the traditional group of favorites.
For Cerundolo, however, the message is simpler: survive one more round and he will be into a Grand Slam quarterfinal.
After coming back from two sets down against Fritz, the Argentine has already shown that counting him out could be a serious mistake.
WWC ONE MEDIA M.J.E
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