I definitely am at the point where I really want more than that” – Fritz gunning for first Grand Slam semi-final
Fritz is through to his fifth Grand Slam quarter-final and will face Germany’s Alexander Zverev on Tuesday
Taylor Fritz, 2024 US Open
Image Credit: Zuma / Panoramic
Taylor Fritz is through to his fifth career Grand Slam quarter-final at the ongoing US Open – and his third of the 2024 season. While many would be happy to trade places with the top-ranked American, Fritz wants more.
Specifically, he is looking to reach his first Grand Slam semi-final after going 0-4 in the previous times he has reached this stage at a Major.
“I think as you get better, your expectations go up. What makes you satisfied, what makes you happy as far as ranking and results, that also goes up,” Fritz told the media after his win on Sunday. “I think in the past I’ve been very, very excited, very happy to make quarter-finals at slams. I think I’m at the point now where I’m still happy to make quarterfinals, but I wouldn’t be happy with it ending here. I definitely am at the point where I really want more than that. It’s been a good week so far. The success in Slams has been nice, but I am a little bit sick of just making it to the quarter-finals, and I definitely want to go further.”
If one of us doesn’t serve well or the other one returns really well, wins the big points, that’s always going to be the difference-maker in the end.
Taylor Fritz on his next match against Alexander Zverev
On Sunday, Fritz defeated former US Open runner-up Casper Ruud in four sets to set up a quarter-final clash against Germany’s Alexander Zverev. The German leads their head-to-head 5-4 (2-2 on outdoor hard and 1-0 to Fritz on indoor hard) and the pair have split their last eight encounters. The American believes the serve will play a critical role in the outcome of Tuesday’s clash.
“Our head-to-head, we kind of go back and forth. I feel like the last five or six times we’ve played it’s literally been I win one, he wins one, and so on,” Fritz said. “I feel like we play close matches. It can go either way. A lot of it depends on the serve. If one of us doesn’t serve well or the other one returns really well, wins the big points, that’s always going to be the difference-maker in the end.”
“I think we all push each other and make each other better, to be honest” – Fritz
A win for Fritz on Tuesday will increase the noise around a possible first American men’s winner at the US Open since Andy Roddick in 2003. Frances Tiafoe, also through to the quarter-finals, and Tommy Paul, who faces world No 1 Jannik Sinner in the fourth round on Monday, are also in contention to break that drought.
“I think it’s always been shared, the pressure I guess amongst all of us. I don’t think I’ve ever really been the one. I think there’s always been someone else, at least one other person, doing really well. Now we have, like, four or five guys that are all incredible players. It’s great because I think we all — I think we all push each other and make each other better, to be honest,” Fritz added.
For now, Fritz is not looking beyond his quarter-final against Zverev, even though he is very much aware of how the draw has opened up after the early exits of Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.
“Obviously the draw, it’s impossible to not know that there’s more of an opportunity with how the draw has opened up. It’s still the same as it’s been for me. Take it one match at a time. Worry about the person that’s in front of me, and we’ll go from there..”
