No American man has received a tennis Grand Slam since Andy Roddick, 21 years in the past, however the 2024 US Open is wanting like a authentic alternative to finish that drought. Because the highest-seeded American man within the subject this 12 months, Taylor Fritz is locked in.
“If it is me who ends it, then that is like my life’s dream principally, so it will imply all the pieces to me,” he instructed CBS Sports activities.
Roddick received the 2003 US Open after Andre Agassi captured the Australian Open months earlier. That turned the stunning finish of a 15-year streak through which American males received no less than one leg of the Grand Slam per 12 months since 1988. The 21-year drought since has been a troublesome tablet to swallow for followers in the US.
Outdoors of tennis, Fritz has some relatable hobbies. He’s an avid gamer, a Chipotle aficionado and a spicy margarita lover — even creating his personal recipe as a part of a partnership with Maestro Dobel Tequila. Nonetheless, on the courtroom, he’s a critical competitor who has quietly been on the rise.
Fritz noticed his highest rating ever at No. 5 on Feb. 27, 2023. He entered the US Open because the No. 12 seed and received his first three rounds in straight units.
His subsequent opponent might be No. 8 seed Casper Ruud throughout Sunday’s spherical of 16.
Ruud beat Fritz 7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 within the fourth spherical of the French Open earlier this 12 months. Nonetheless, Fritz mentioned he was enjoying injured and feels the consequence could possibly be flipped this time round.
“Actually, I feel I am going to do precisely what I used to be doing on the French Open,” he mentioned. “I had an damage I used to be enjoying by way of a lot of the French Open, and it actually flared up, like unhealthy, within the third set of that match. I completed the match, however I do not know why I did. I most likely ought to’ve simply pulled out of the match.
“Up till that, it was fairly even. I preferred the best way I used to be enjoying quite a bit and I feel enjoying precisely like that on a quicker floor, on hardcourt, is gonna give me an excellent higher likelihood.”
Fritz made the US Open quarterfinals final 12 months, however he has by no means made a deeper run in a significant event. The competitors at this 12 months’s US Open appears a bit extra open after world No. 2 Novak Djokovic and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz received upset within the third spherical. Nonetheless, there are nonetheless another favorites within the subject, together with No. 1 Jannik Sinner, No. 4 Alexander Zverev and No. 5 Daniil Medvedev — final 12 months’s runner up.
Whereas Fritz is the highest-seeded American, he is aware of his fellow countrymen are equally able to pulling off a victory.
One of many darkish horses of this 12 months’s event is unseeded Brandon Nakashima, who already took care of two prime 20 opponents at Flushing Meadows and has a date with Zverev on Sunday. Fritz is aware of firsthand that Nakashima isn’t one to take frivolously as he misplaced to him within the spherical of 64 on the Cincinnati Open on Aug. 13.
“He is a extremely good participant. I feel he had some setbacks within the final 12 months or two,” Fritz mentioned. “I feel all this 12 months he is been constructing himself again and successful a whole lot of matches, gaining a whole lot of confidence. He is a extremely good participant.”
One other participant who arrived to New York with a whole lot of momentum is No. 20 Frances Tiafoe, who reached his first ever ultimate at an ATP Masters 1000 occasion in Cincinnati. He earned his ticket to the spherical of 16 after an thrilling win in a five-set battle in opposition to fellow American Ben Shelton, a semifinalist final 12 months.
If anyone is aware of how you can work a crowd and use that vitality to their benefit, it’s undoubtedly Tiafoe.
“Frances is an efficient participant normally, however … he actually likes enjoying right here, and as soon as he kinda will get going, he performs rather well.” Fritz mentioned. “He type of carries that momentum and the vitality from the gang, the second. Simply being on the US Open, that is one factor that Frances does so properly; he’s an enormous event participant. When he is actually pumped up and he actually desires it, he is tremendous locked in and that is when he performs his finest tennis.”
Tiafoe will face No. 28 Alexei Popyrin on Sunday. They’ve by no means performed earlier than, however the Aussie has confirmed to be a harmful opponent as he’s the one who surprised Djokovic on Friday night time.
In the meantime, Tommy Paul may need the most important problem developing as he’s scheduled to tackle Sinner throughout Monday’s spherical of 16. Fritz is finest buddies with Paul and is aware of his recreation properly as they received a bronze medal in doubles on the 2024 Paris Olympics earlier this summer time.
“The place he is actually improved quite a bit through the years is simply being very skilled and centered,” Fritz mentioned. “Similar to being on it, being very persistently good. I at all times knew how good he was; he’s simply type of doing it week in, week out now. On the courtroom, he’s extremely quick, involves the online rather well, and simply the remainder of his recreation may be very well-rounded. He does not actually have any weaknesses. He is received a great serve and he’s only a nice athlete.”
