NEW YORK — Within the build-up to Wimbledon, Taylor Fritz mentioned males’s tennis feels extra open now, in contrast with the Huge Three period.
“It took simply one in every of them to be enjoying extremely nicely,” he mentioned of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
“We had been youthful and inferior to we are actually. You had been hoping that they’d have an off day and also you’d have an on day,” Fritz mentioned. “These days, anybody within the high 15, it’s sort of whoever performs higher.
“It’s thrilling for all of us as a result of we all know that every one it takes is 2 weeks or 10 days of enjoying actually high-level tennis, and taking the chance as finest as attainable.”
This U.S. Open has proved Fritz proper and flawed. Early exits for Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz provided hope to the chasing pack, however the event ended upholding the established order, as world No. 1 Jannik Sinner gained his second Grand Slam of the yr by beating Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.
With the opposite two majors of 2024 going to Alcaraz, 21, he and Sinner, 23, have gained 5 of the final six Slams. They’re delivering on the sharp finish of majors with Huge Three-like effectivity, they usually’re nonetheless fairly younger.
Their domination feels completely different to the remainder of the locker room, although. After Frances Tiafoe was defeated by Fritz in Friday’s semifinal, he mentioned this event had been “large” in exhibiting the perfect of the remaining {that a} Grand Slam win is inside attain. “It reveals that it’s positively attainable,” he mentioned. “The sport’s open. Even with Alcaraz and Sinner and these different guys, it’s not what it was.”
Alexander Zverev, ranked simply forward of Alcaraz at No. 2 however with out the identical main success, expressed comparable sentiments forward of Wimbledon.
A part of the sentiment comes from the truth that even when they’re profitable the majority of the slams, Sinner and Alcaraz are usually not but on the level of being a shoo-in for the semis or finals of each large event. Alcaraz confirmed that together with his second-round exit right here. Djokovic remains to be wildly proficient however has been extra uneven, providing the sphere a glimmer of hope after his worst Grand Slam yr since 2017 (and second worst since 2009).
Fritz mentioned Sunday that what encourages him is that he reached the ultimate with out enjoying that nicely.
“I feel it’s actually optimistic for me as a result of I don’t really feel like at any particular level in these two weeks … I used to be enjoying, like, wonderful tennis,” he mentioned. “Perhaps it is a little more open. I don’t suppose it’s important to, I don’t know, play unbelievable to go deep in tournaments and contend.”
“Once I play good tennis,” Taylor Fritz mentioned, “I feel that stage is nice sufficient to win.” (Jamie Squire / Getty Photos)
Gamers akin to Fritz additionally haven’t constructed up the sort of scar tissue with Alcaraz and Sinner that that they had with the Huge Three. Even when they discover themselves shedding to them, at the least they really feel like they’ve an opportunity of profitable.
With the Huge Three, gamers akin to Fritz largely went in with hope reasonably than expectations. In contrast, earlier than dealing with Sinner, Fritz mentioned: “I’ve a sense I’m going to return out and play rather well and win. Once I play good tennis, I feel that stage is nice sufficient to win.”
Ultimately, Sinner proved too sturdy. Fritz acknowledged afterward that: “I feel that (now) you could find your self somewhat deeper within the attracts — quarterfinals and stuff — if you happen to simply play strong tennis. I nonetheless suppose to beat the highest guys, it is advisable to convey your finest recreation.”
And that’s the rub. For a participant like Fritz to interrupt by means of and win a slam, he greater than probably nonetheless has to face Sinner, Alcaraz or Djokovic. And as a lot as this event confirmed there may be extra probabilities for gamers exterior the elite to achieve the quarters, semis and finals, none of these gamers recorded a landmark win in opposition to one of many high three.
Djokovic’s conqueror, Alexei Popyrin, is a rung or two beneath the group of predominant challengers, and Botic van de Zandschulp, who defeated Alcaraz, isn’t more likely to be on the sharp finish of slams anytime quickly.
Fritz, although, will come out of this event together with his standing within the recreation barely altered. He spoke after shedding to Sinner about how one can solely beat what’s in entrance of you, and the best way he navigated the extremely demanding and barely unusual semifinal in opposition to his good buddy and compatriot Tiafoe on Friday appears to have boosted his confidence.
There had all the time been a contest between these two and the remainder of the shut group of American gamers about who would get to a Grand Slam last first. Fritz has achieved it and, in his thoughts, whereas not enjoying his finest. That bodes nicely for him heading into the Australian Open in January.
However Sunday, Fritz was reminded he’s nonetheless a means off from taking that last step. He spoke about how his Plan B of grinding it out works in opposition to most gamers however not these on the very high. He is aware of he’ll want so as to add extra to his recreation to take that subsequent step.
As a result of whereas the paths to the semis and finals may be getting simpler, so long as Alcaraz and Sinner are delivering, the chasing pack nonetheless has a method to go.
(High photograph: Kena Betancur / AFP)
