On July 3, 2021, after having lost in the third round of Wimbledon against Alexander Zverev and having fallen beyond top-40Taylor Fritz took his girlfriend’s mobile while they both returned to the hotel and wrote a note: “No one in the world is playing more below their possibilities than you. You are fucking good, but spabila at once, uncle …”. And there they are today, legs and arms to give and give away; Indeed, installed among the five strongest five of the circuit – it is the fifth, although in November last year it reached its maximum with the fourth position – and cited today in the semifinals of the British Grande (14.30, Movistar+) with Carlos Alcaraz.
“Someone of League Of Legends He told me to come to the grass tour and did it, ”the American joked these days, a passionate about the online video game that simulates fantastic battles and in which he, he needed after having broken Karen Khachanov in the rooms, has already acquired the category”Emerald 3”; That is, the tenth highest range and that places him among 12% of the best players in the world. Says Fritz, 27 years old and first -time father at 19, that entertainment is not part of his preparation, but that helps him when setting the focus:“ It seems crazy, but mentally it is very exhausting. I have to be very concentrated all the time. ”
He is in Wimbledon and the grass feels great, where he has achieved half of the trophies he has reached so far: five out of ten. He came strongly, after having triumphed in Stuttgart and Eastbourne on the brief preparatory tour, and during these two weeks he has corroborated his good moment. In India Row, complicated rivals and different profiles were falling, of drawers such as Perricard, Diallo or Khachanov to entanglement such as Jordan Thompson. Consequently, the American is the only active tennis player of his nationality who has reached the semifinals in a tournament that will not be played on cement.
In the All England Club, the gigantic halo of the heptacampeón Pete Sampras still shines and, meanwhile, the tennis of his country produces and produces without stopping in the laboratory to find someone who manages to end the male drought. The last to be crowned in a great was; A year later, however, it would collide with the British outcome with Roger Federer, the same one that deprived him of the titles of 2005 and 2009. He now has the Baza de Fritz, who promised a lot and has not finished breaking. It is up, emerging, but the injuries cut a competitive growth that has recovered brio in recent times.
Less than five blows
Although he ensures that maintaining the same level he exhibited during the first two sets against Khachanov is little less than unbeatable, he is now a very little appetizing crossing. Alcaraz, nothing more and nothing less. “You have to make an almost perfect game, with a maximum risk tennis. The question is: how to get it for five sets?” Tennis Channel His compatriot Lindsey Davenport, winner in 1999. In that same medium, and with four majors In the showcase, he remembered a New York anecdote between Andre Agassi and Roddick, a decade ago at Flushing Meadows facilities.
“Roddick was going to play against Federer and asked Andre: any advice for me?” And he replied: “Yes, if the ball lasts more than five blows, simply take the ball and save energy, because you will surely lose it.”
And there coincide Davenport and Couer that the key may be. “Taylor has to get very well and shake him to the ball as soon as he can keep Carlos at bay, because, that he reaches the network, to use all his creativity. He will have to suppress that with all his power, with fire. The more the balls are lengthened, the more possibility there will be that Alcaraz will overcome him,” says the second, while the statistics recorded by the tournament will face today. Like none – he won 93% of the games under their service – and Alcaraz subtracts with a knife between the teeth – it shows 71% of the serves.
“Well, I am happy that we do not play in Roland Garros, on land, with those balls, because if it would not be a nightmare,” says Fritz, who has signed 95 aces —19 per meeting – and retains 82% of points with first, also a remarkable 65% with seconds. “I think the grass equals things, so I trust how I am playing. I really know how and how I have played today the first two sets [de los cuartos de final]there is not much that any other rival can do, ”resolves the Californian, who in September already lived the experience of semifinals. He surpassed French Tiafoe in New York. And he says:” I don’t think anything will be more stressful than that. “
Djokovic for caution
A. C. | Londres
After they jump to the Alcaraz and Fritz track, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic will do it. The physical state of the Serbian, however, is an unknown, since during the fourth duel against Flavio Cobolli suffered a spectacular slip and, finally, this Thursday was not exercised.
Specifically, Nole, 38, had reserved a track for training for two hours (from 13.00 to 15.00, local time); He then postponed the session at three, but in the end there was no trace of him in the Aorangi Park area, where the bulk of the tennis players are prepared throughout the two weeks of tournament.
Who was seen went to Sinner. The number one, which in the eighths also suffered an incident, by damaging his right elbow in a bad fall while competing against Grigor Dimitrov, worked normally; Again, with the protective mesh that has already wore on the posterior scale, in front of Ben Shelton.
