“Anyone can win” – Taylor Fritz likes his chances in this wide open era of men’s tennis

For American men like Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, the time is now to strike at the ATP’s biggest events.

Taylor Fritz (USA) celebrates after defeating Ben Shelton (USA) in their second round match in the 2023 BNP Paribas Open Image Credit: AI/Reuters/Panoramic

Chris Oddo

March 25, 2023

After winning his first Masters 1000 title last year, something clicked in Taylor Fritz‘s mind. The American started believing that he could win Masters 1000 events and Grand Slams, and no longer felt like the Big Three would have a stranglehold on all the trophies. With Roger Federer retired, Rafael Nadal nearly 37 and Novak Djokovic missing so many events due to his decision to remain unvaccinated, the landscape has become much less threatening for the man.

Fritz, ever the opportunist, is aware of that, and eager to take his chances in the current environment. He feels there are about 15 men that all have the potential to win a title like this week’s Miami Open.

Fritz: Whoever is playing the best on that week

“I’ve been saying it for a while now. It’s very exciting because you are going into these tournaments feeling like anyone can win,” he said. “There’s, I would say, 10, 15 guys. It’s whoever is playing the best on that week. Like, it could be their week, and I think that’s really exciting.”

Fritz says that the change has been rather dramatic over the last year and a half. Surely the change has a lot to do with his evolution as a player, but also the fact that Federer is now gone from the sport and Nadal has really struggled over the last six months, with injuries and form.

“It’s changed a lot for me over the last year and a half or so because I always wanted to win tournaments, and I felt like a lot of the times it was highly unlikely that that was going to happen with a lot of these guys in the draws and with how unbeatable they were,” he said.

“So it’s great to kind of feel like I can come into these tournaments and feel like I have just as good of a chance as anybody else to win it.”

Taylor Fritz ATP Finals 2022 Turin || Imago / Panoramic

Tiafoe – Tennis is in a great place

American Frances Tiafoe feels similarly about the current state of the men’s game.

[It should be noted that the rise of Carlos Alcaraz could put an end to some of the opportunities that the Americans speak of, but the Spaniard hasn’t reached that type of domination – yet.]

“I think it’s an open field for a lot of guys,” he told the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. “We don’t necessarily have the big three at every tournament, with Federer retiring, Rafa, obviously he’s still brutal on the clay, but with his injuries it has been tough. Novak’s still brutal, but I think everyone after that is beatable. We have a group of like 15 guys that are playing at a really high level that can win anything. Alcaraz, Tsitsipas, Rublev, Medvedev, Zverev is playing much better again, Fritz, myself, Berrettini, Sinner, there’s so many guys who can win big events.

“I think tennis is in a great place in that sense. Who’s gonna be that guy? Alcaraz has kind of taken that lead, but I think there’s a lot of guys that could follow, so I think it’s an exciting time.”

Frances Tiafoe Indian Wells 2023 — AI / Reuters / Panoramic

On an American man winning a major – a matter of time

Tiafoe believes that the current American men’s singles Grand Slam drought, which dates back to Andy Roddick’s US Open title in 2003, is also fair game.

“I think that’s always been the thing: which American guy is going to be the next one to win a Slam?” he said. “It’s gonna happen. It’s just a matter of time. Taylor’s No.5 in the world. I’m knocking on the door of the Top 10, so is Tommy, he’s right behind me.”