Taylor Fritz renews efforts to break America's prolonged Grand Slam championship winless streak

Taylor Fritz Prepares for 2024 U.S. Open with Focus on Present

American tennis player Taylor Fritz is gearing up for the 2024 U.S. Open, aiming to make a deep run in the tournament while managing the pressure that comes with competing in a major championship.

Fritz, who has reached a career-best No. 4 in the ATP rankings, has been open to working on his game and improving, according to his coach, Michael Russell. The coach believes there is room for improvement in Fritz's game, especially in terms of fitness and endurance, which have contributed to his better results at majors.

Despite his success in recent tournaments, Fritz has not won a major singles trophy since 2003, with the last win by an American being Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open. Fritz, however, does not see the pressure to win a major championship as coming from external sources. Instead, he considers the pressure to be self-imposed.

In last year's U.S. Open, Fritz lost in the final to Jannik Sinner. The American also lost to Sinner in the final of the ATP Finals in Italy and in the semifinals at Wimbledon. Despite these losses, Fritz remains focused on the present and is determined to learn from his past performances. He has not yet re-watched any of his matches from the 2023 U.S. Open.

Fritz's standout memory from the 2023 U.S. Open was defeating countryman and friend Frances Tiafoe to reach the final. The American's deep runs in tournaments have boosted his confidence, and he is hoping to carry this momentum into the 2024 U.S. Open.

Fritz is aware of the competition he faces, with Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Alexander Zverev ranked ahead of him in the ATP rankings. However, he is not dwelling on his past losses to these players or looking ahead in the draw. Instead, he is focusing on his own game and is determined to give his best performance at the 2024 U.S. Open.

Russell attributes Fritz's success as a player to his stubbornness. The coach believes that Fritz's refusal to give up and his determination to improve have been key factors in his success on the court. Fritz himself may choose to re-watch his matches if he feels his performance is not up to par, but for now, he is focused on the present and is determined to do well at the 2024 U.S. Open.

This article was written by Fendrich, a writer for the Associated Press.

Taylor Fritz renews efforts to break America's prolonged Grand Slam championship winless streak