NEW YORK — Ahead of Wimbledon, Taylor Fritz observed a more open atmosphere in men’s tennis compared to the Big Three era of Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer.
“It only took one of them playing exceptionally,” Fritz noted. “We were less experienced and hoped for an off day from them.”
Fritz’s sentiments are reflected in this U.S. Open, despite early exits by Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz hinting at opportunities for others. Ultimately, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner secured his second Grand Slam of the year, defeating Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.
Although Sinner and Alcaraz, aged 23 and 21 respectively, have dominated recent Slams, the competition feels more open. Frances Tiafoe, after losing to Fritz in the semifinals, acknowledged the increased chances for a Grand Slam win, remarking, “The game’s open. Even with Alcaraz and Sinner, it’s not what it used to be.”
Ranked No. 2, Alexander Zverev echoed similar thoughts, emphasizing that Sinner and Alcaraz aren’t guaranteed semifinalists or finalists in every tournament, as shown by Alcaraz’s second-round exit.
Fritz, who reached the final without playing his best, finds this encouraging. “I think it’s really positive for me because I feel like I didn’t play amazing tennis. Maybe it is more open.”
Despite losing to Sinner, Fritz believes he has a fighting chance against the current top players. “When I play good tennis, I think that level is good enough to win,” he expressed confidently.
However, to break through and win a Slam, Fritz knows he must defeat Sinner, Alcaraz, or Djokovic. Although the paths to the semis and finals might be easier, landmark wins against the top three are still rare.
Fritz’s performance at this tournament, especially his semifinal win against Tiafoe, has boosted his confidence heading into the Australian Open in January. He acknowledges that while his Plan B of grinding it out works against most, it falls short against the very top players.
As long as Alcaraz and Sinner are performing at their best, the rest of the field still has a way to go to truly challenge them for Grand Slam titles.
(Top photo: Kena Betancur / AFP)
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