The future of tennis looks to be the rivalry between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. And if 2024 is any indication, we are in for a treat.
Sinner opened up the year by winning the hard court Slam at the Australian Open. Alcaraz, meanwhile, took the tennis world by storm by winning both the French Open and Wimbledon. And now Sinner has matched Alcaraz’s year by taking his second Major of the season (and his career), winning the US Open over Taylor Fritz.
American fans were hoping to see Fritz become the first American to win the US Open (or any Major) since Andy Roddick in 2003. The Italian left the home fans disappointed, though, comprehensively winning the final 6-3 6-4 7-5.
Fritz certainly had his chances, but Sinner was just always more clutch when push came to shove. Sinner broke for 4-3 in the first set and Fritz couldn’t get it back. In the third set, Fritz even took a lead and served for it. But the American played a mediocre game (not a poor one, but not good enough) and Sinner broke back for 5-5. The nerves finally got to Fritz two games later, and an actual subpar game ended the set and the match.
What’s Next?
Fritz will certainly disappointed, especially because he probably could have played a bit better, but this is still the best season of his career and the best tournament of his career. He looks in strong position to qualify for the ATP Finals, and he has cemented himself as the top American. The Grand Slam title isn’t there, but his future is bright.
Jannik Sinner is the #1 player in the world, now with a massive 4,000-point lead on the field. The Italian man will almost certainly end the season as #1–stunning given the controversy around him and his loss of Indian Wells ranking points. The next step? Taking on Carlos Alcaraz on his beloved clay and at Wimbledon. If this year shows anything about Sinner, it’s certainly possible.
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
