A first Grand Slam final and career-high ranking for Fritz in 2024
With improved forehand, movement, rally tolerance and fitness, Taylor Fritz captured two titles this season
© Marco Alpozzi / LaPresse / Shutterst / SIPA
Ever since he was the best junior in the world, Taylor Fritz‘s progress has been steady — the American hasn’t skipped many steps but hasn’t missed a lot either. In 2024, he continued to build on a terrific 2023 season, culminating in the most important ‘first’ of his career at the US Open, where he reached his first Grand Slam final.
Fritz ended the season on a high note as a runner-up at the ATP Finals in Turin, making him No 4 in the world for the first time in his career. No American has ended a year higher on the ATP rankings since James Blake in 2006. Furthermore, Fritz became the first American since Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi in 1999 to beat at least ten top 10 opponents in a year (11 in total).
Even though his serve and forehand are his greatest weapons, Fritz, from an early age, didn’t fit the typical American mold, he was much more than that. Under the tutelage of Michael Russell, he tremendously improved his movement, rally tolerance, and fitness, which allowed him to grind out more wins than he was able to do in the past. This was particularly evident on the clay courts, where he reached the final in Munich, semi-finals in Madrid, quarter-finals in Rome, and fourth round at the French Open, jokingly earning the nickname—Claylor.
Still, if you ask the world No 2 Alexander Zverev, who lost to Fritz on the biggest stages three times this year (Wimbledon, US Open, Turin), the shot that the American improved the most on is the forehand.
“It used to break down quite a lot. His forehand was always fast and aggressive, but it was very shaky in important moments. He could hit a winner, but he could hit the fence, as well. I feel like the ratio is a lot more towards winners now than hitting the fence,” said Zverev.
Fritz captured two titles this season in Delray Beach and Eastbourne, but since winning the Indian Wells Open in 2022, he has failed to reach a Masters 1000 final. This season’s best outings came in Madrid (L. to Rublev in the semis) and Shanghai (L. to Djokovic in the semis).
Greatest Win: Fritz proved that he mastered the art of “hanging in there” against his friend Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals of the US Open. Earlier, he might have faded away, but the new and resilient Fritz hung tough and clawed out one of his four five-set wins this season: 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1. Understandably, he teared up in his on court interview: “It’s the reason why I do what I do. It’s the reason why I work so hard.”
What If Moment: Not a lot of those for Fritz this season, however, in 2022, he was on the verge of making the Wimbledon semi-finals, but lost to an injured Rafael Nadal. He missed out on the same opportunity in a five-setter—the only one he lost the whole season—losing to Lorenzo Musetti 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. He was a set and a break up but let the frustration get the better of him for a significant part of the match and ultimately disappeared in the fifth. Still, he made up for everything in New York, once again proving that he learns from past experiences rather quickly.
Look Ahead: “I feel like I belong,” said Fritz in Turin. Indeed he does, his rise wasn’t meteoric, and looking at his career as a whole, he shouldn’t be prone to a big lapse. The American is already looking to improve his chances against the very best. “The short answer is there’s certain forehands that I’m hitting a lot better than I was hitting before. That’s been a big change. It’s something that I noticed was bothering me more so in particular match-ups with top players.” Maintaining his current status while looking to add a big title will be on the cards for Fritz in 2025.
