Ahead of Wimbledon, U.S. tennis player Taylor Fritz opined that the men’s tennis circuit felt more open compared to the era dominated by Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer. He felt that any top 15 player could be successful, and a good two weeks or 10 days of high-level play could turn the tide. However, the U.S. Open seemed to uphold the status quo. Djokovic’s and Carlos Alcaraz’s early exits raised hopes, but world No. 1 Jannik Sinner won his second Grand Slam of the year by defeating Fritz. The other two majors of 2024 had gone to Alcaraz, proving that he and Sinner, who’ve won five of the last six Slams, continue to dominate with Big Three-like efficiency.
Fellow professionals also believe the field has opened up despite Sinner’s and Alcaraz’s victories. Frances Tiafoe, who lost to Fritz in the tournament’s semifinal, felt the Open had shown the rest that a Grand Slam win was within reach. His thoughts were echoed by Alexander Zverev, ranked No. 2, although he hasn’t seen major success. Players believe that while Sinner and Alcaraz are winning most based on slams, they aren’t guaranteed semifinalists or finalists in every big tournament. The inconsistent performances of Djokovic are seen as a glimmer of hope, too.
Fritz’s case is notable as he reached the final without playing exceptionally well. He stated candidly that during the tournament’s two weeks, there wasn’t a point when he believed he displayed extraordinary tennis. He feels the field has indeed become more open, and that you don’t have to play extraordinarily well to make a deep run in tournaments. Fritz feels confident in his game, believing it to be good enough to win.
Fritz and his contemporaries don’t seem to have the psychological burden against Sinner and Alcaraz that they did with the Big Three. Even though they might be losing, the belief persists that they can win. Fritz entered his match against Sinner with confidence: “I have a feeling I’m going to come out and play really well and win. When I play good tennis, I think that level is good enough to win.” However, Sinner’s strength prevailed. Fritz admitted that consistent play can get one to the quarterfinals, but to defeat the top players, one’s best game is required.
For someone like Fritz to win a slam, they would still likely have to face and defeat one of Sinner, Alcaraz, or Djokovic. The U.S. Open did show more opportunities for non-elite players to reach late tournament stages, but none recorded a game-changing win against the top trio. Djokovic’s conqueror, Alexei Popyrin, and Alcaraz’s, Botic van de Zandschulp, aren’t considered severe challengers.
Regardless, Fritz emerges from the Open with his career’s status slightly enhanced. His semi-final victory against fellow American Frances Tiafoe seemed to boost his confidence. Fritz has now proved he can advance to a Grand Slam final, even if not playing his best. He’s aware, though, that he needs to improve his game further to be a consistent finalist. The conclusion seems to be that while reaching late tournament stages might be becoming easier, if Sinner and Alcaraz continue their form, the rest of the players have considerable ground to cover.
