American tennis star Taylor Fritz has conceded that rivals Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are the current dominant forces in men’s tennis but insists he cannot rely on their absence to achieve his Grand Slam ambitions. The world number five noted that the top-two ranked players have contested every major final this year, creating a significant hurdle for the rest of the tour. Fritz, who lost to Sinner in the 2023 US Open final, emphasized that waiting for a tournament where Alcaraz or Sinner suffer an early upset is not a viable strategy for winning a first major title.
Reflecting on his own run to the final in New York last year, Fritz acknowledged that his path was cleared by the shock early exits of Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic. He stated, “I beat who I was supposed to beat to make it to the final, and it’s becoming more apparent that that’s probably not going to happen that often.” The American believes the new reality of the sport means that any player serious about winning a Grand Slam must be prepared to defeat one of the elite duo en route to the title, adding, “If you want to do it, you’re going to have to go through one of those guys.”
Fritz’s comments came after he secured a place in the Japan Open quarter-finals with a 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) victory over Portugal’s Nuno Borges. Despite admitting he struggled at times and put himself “in trouble by going down breaks,” he was pleased with his resilience to fight back. His next opponent is fellow American Sebastian Korda, while a potential final in Tokyo could see a rematch with Alcaraz, whom he recently defeated at the Laver Cup.
The 26-year-old’s mindset highlights a shift in approach as he targets the sport’s biggest prizes. Instead of hoping for a favourable draw, Fritz is focused on elevating his own game to a level where he can challenge the best on the sport’s biggest stages. “I need to be able to play at a level where, on a day at a Grand Slam, I can be able to beat one of them,” Fritz said, underscoring his determination to become a champion by conquering the champions.
