Sinner defeats Fritz in straight sets to capture his 1st U.S. Open title weeks after doping exoneration

Jannik Sinner started slowly at the U.S. Open, dropping the first set he played after being exonerated in a doping case no one knew about until shortly before play began at Flushing Meadows.

If that episode initially hung over him during the tournament, Sinner was able to put it aside while on court. Was he ever. The No. 1-ranked Sinner beat Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 with his typical relentless baseline game to win the men's championship at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday, less than three weeks after word emerged of his two positive drug tests.

"This title, for me, means so much," said Sinner, a 23-year-old from Italy, "because the last period of my career was really not easy."

Andy Roddick's triumph at Flushing Meadows in 2003 was the last Slam title for a man from the United States. The last before Fritz, a 26-year-old from California, to even contest a final at one of the four biggest tournaments in tennis also was Roddick, who lost to Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2009.

"Being an American at the U.S. Open is just incredible. Feeling the love all week. So thank you so much," Fritz said during the trophy ceremony. "I know we've been waiting for a champion for a long time, so I'm sorry I couldn't get it done this time. But I'm going to keep working and, hopefully, I'll get it at the next one."

Still, this tournament was a success in many ways for U.S. tennis, with two women and two men from the country all reaching the semifinals for the first time at a major since the 2003 U.S. Open. Jessica Pegula reached the women's final before losing Saturday to Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

It's all yours, Jannik! <a href="https://t.co/FrYHhoIjfY">pic.twitter.com/FrYHhoIjfY</a>

Sinner improved to 55-5 with a tour-high six titles in