Donald Young. Ryan Harrison. John Isner. Jared Donaldson. Jack Sock, even Andy Roddick. These are all names that have been proclaimed the new saviour of American tennis. Yet, excluding Roddick who is also now retired, these players have not produced form that they pundits and commentators believe can actually challenge for major titles, (lets not quite rule out Sock just yet). So when you hear that American tennis has a new teenager star you could be forgiven for putting it down to American hype. Here is why you shouldn’t.
Fritz is a winner. Not a born winner, but a winner crafted from everything that it takes to make it as a world class tennis played in this era. He has all the attributes that could see him if not dominate then certainly compete for titles within a year or two. We are not just talking ATP titles as he could still win one even this week, but Grand Slams.
His game. An attacking serve. He regularly reaches a double figure count in aces for relatively few double faults, with a quick delivery that can be cunningly placed. At 6’4 Fritz is almost the perfect height for a tennis player. Tall enough that he benefits from favourable angles with the serve, but not so tall like Isner that it has the drawback of hindering his movement. Americans traditionally have a big serve, big forehand, and some can volley well. Fritz is a little different to most Americans because he has a backhand as well, and one that does not crumble under pressure. It’s a reassuring two-handed effort that has the ability to force the play as much as defend, though his forehand is definitely the preferred mode of attack.
However, there is one aspect of his game beyond his technical prowess that could see Fritz scale a mountain that no American has reached since the 2003 US Open with Roddick. His mental attitude. Two Americans in the past (and still in the present) Jared Donaldson and Ryan Harrison are both volatile individuals. Both can take out their frustrations on umpires, themselves and other players when they perceive an injustice or their game deteriorates. Fritz has no such problems. Yes, he is not immune to complaining after a bad call, but he does it with a quiet and respectful manner, but more importantly than that, he does not let calls or missed shots affect him. His level does drop, but he just accepts the situation for what it is, and will finish a match having played poorly, or rediscovers his form. This attitude has visibly translated into his game as well, with a remarkable tendency to pull off come-back victories. and victories where blind statistical analysis would pick Fritz as the defeated party. A specialist at playing the big points, and understanding that the most important point to win in a tennis match is the last one.
I have followed Fritz mainly on the Challenger circuit, but also on the main tour when he has appeared, and highlighted here are three matches that I believe have been defining moments in Fritz’s young career. In order of importance:
3. Taylor Fritz defeats Steve Johnson 7-6, 7-6 (ATP Memphis Second Round 2016). Two players very familiar with each other’s game as they are practice partners. Fritz remarked in his post match interviews that Johnson normally beats him comfortably in the first set of any matches that they play. Yet Fritz edged two tie-breaks against Johnson, saving a set point in the second set tie-break at six-seven on Johnson’s serve and then winning the next two points to snatch the match. A pure example of Fritz’s mental strength. It is also worth mentioning that Fritz won after Benjamin Becker served for the match at six-five in the third set of their quarter-final. Fritz won in a tiebreak.
2. Taylor Fritz defeats Jared Donaldson 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 (ATP Challenger Tour Sacremento Final 2015). A meeting between two of the purported top young Americans. Donaldson was at the top of his career so far, on the precipice of the Top 100 and had beaten No. 67 Denis Kudla in the semi-finals. Fritz himself had had an excellent run, and it was a tense final, with Fritz breaking deep in third as Donaldson’s first serve deserted him.
1. Taylor Fritz defeats Dustin Brown 6-7, 7-6, 7-6. (ATP Challenger Tour Sacramento Second Round 2015). It may not have been the most majestic of locations, a second round match at a humble Challenger viewed by perhaps fewer than fifty people, Fritz took a massive win early in the tournament that would see him secure his first ever Challenger title. Fritz saved thirteen out of fourteen break points in the match, and again recovered from the loss of the first set to defeat Brown. It may not be his biggest upset so far, but it is the defining match of his career, and really highlights Fritz’s talent, consistency, and tenacity.
After edging Brown in Sacramento, Fritz would then go on to beat Brown in straight sets the following week in the final of Fairfield.
Fritz may not have had the quickest rise to prominence. He elected to compete on the Juniors Tour for far longer than many of his contemporaries winning the Junior US Open, and reaching the final of the French Open, (in both finals he played Tommy Paul). It is a very different path than that taken by fellow American Ryan Harrison, who raced to the ATP Tour as soon as possible, before either burning out or having people recognise flaws in his game.
But I am convinced that his game is superior to that of other teenagers Alexander Zverev and Borna Coric, who both rely rather heavily on serve and have susceptible backhands. Fritz may easily have a weakness, or develop them, but against the calibre of player I have seen him against to date no player seems to have unearthed it. He genuinely looks like the best male American tennis player since Andy Roddick.
