Jérôme Kym braces for his biggest career test as he takes on Taylor Fritz in the US Open third round
Jérôme Kym, a 22-year-old from Aargau, faces world No. 4 Taylor Fritz in the third round of the US Open on Friday at Flushing Meadows. Entering through the qualifiers, Kym is playing in his first Grand Slam main draw. He is the youngest Swiss player to have represented Switzerland in Davis Cup, a record he earned when he debuted in 2019 at age 15, and he’s now breaking through to the wider tennis public at the US Open.
In the tournament so far, the Swiss qualifier has defeated two Americans: Ethan Quinn in three sets and Brandon Nakashima, the 30th seed, in a dramatic five-setter. He will attempt to complete a three-match sweep against Fritz and reach the round of 16.
The Californian is a formidable obstacle: Fritz is a Wimbledon semifinalist and the runner-up at last year’s US Open, who had been beaten in three sets by Jannik Sinner in last year’s final. That pedigree underscores the challenge for Kym, but also the potential breakthrough moment the Swiss youngster is pursuing.
Context and outlook: Kym’s rise through the ranks, his Davis Cup history, and his performance in his first Grand Slam main draw underline a notable ascent for Swiss tennis. A win for Kym would be a landmark upset and could provide a significant momentum boost as he builds on this breakthrough at the start of his professional career.