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 all them to be taking part in extremely properly,” he mentioned of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
“We have been youthful and not so good as we are actually. You have 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 form of whoever performs higher.
“It’s thrilling for all of us as a result of we all know that each one it takes is 2 weeks or 10 days of taking part in actually high-level tennis, and taking the chance as greatest as doable.”
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, and so they’re nonetheless fairly younger.
Their domination feels totally 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 “huge” in exhibiting the perfect of the remainder {that a} Grand Slam win is inside attain. “It reveals that it’s positively doable,” 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 successful the majority of the slams, Sinner and Alcaraz should not but on the level of being a shoo-in for the semis or finals of each huge event. Alcaraz confirmed that together with his second-round exit right here. Djokovic remains to be wildly gifted however has been extra uneven, providing the sector 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 taking part in that properly.
“I believe it’s actually constructive for me as a result of I don’t really feel like at any particular level in these two weeks … I used to be taking part in, like, wonderful tennis,” he mentioned. “Possibly it is a little more open. I don’t assume it’s a must to, I don’t know, play unbelievable to go deep in tournaments and contend.”
“Once I play good tennis,” Taylor Fritz mentioned, “I believe that degree is sweet sufficient to win.” (Jamie Squire / Getty Photos)
Gamers corresponding to Fritz additionally haven’t constructed up the form of scar tissue with Alcaraz and Sinner that that they had with the Huge Three. Even when they discover themselves dropping to them, at the least they really feel like they’ve an opportunity of successful.
With the Huge Three, gamers corresponding to Fritz largely went in with hope relatively than expectations. In contrast, earlier than dealing with Sinner, Fritz mentioned: “I’ve a sense I’m going to come back out and play very well and win. Once I play good tennis, I believe that degree is sweet sufficient to win.”
In the long run, Sinner proved too robust. Fritz acknowledged afterward that: “I believe that (now) yow will discover your self a bit of deeper within the attracts — quarterfinals and stuff — in case you simply play stable tennis. I nonetheless assume to beat the highest guys, you could deliver your greatest recreation.”
And that’s the rub. For a participant like Fritz to interrupt by way 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 is likely to be extra probabilities for gamers outdoors the elite to succeed in 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 major challengers, and Botic van de Zandschulp, who defeated Alcaraz, isn’t prone 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 dropping to Sinner about how one can solely beat what’s in entrance of you, and the best way he navigated the extremely traumatic and barely unusual semifinal in opposition to his good pal 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 closing first. Fritz has performed it and, in his thoughts, whereas not taking part in his greatest. That bodes properly for him heading into the Australian Open in January.
However Sunday, Fritz was reminded he’s nonetheless a means off from taking that closing 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 is likely to be getting simpler, so long as Alcaraz and Sinner are delivering, the chasing pack nonetheless has a solution to go.
(Prime photograph: Kena Betancur / AFP)
