John McEnroe is one of many who will be tuning in to the men’s US Open final full of hope.
After all, at last they have an American to cheer for, with Taylor Fritz seeking to become the first since Andy Roddick in 2003 to taste Grand Slam success.
The wait has been long and arduous, but regardless of tonight’s result, history has been made.
And, the path has been suitably paved for many more appearances at these deeper stages, for Fritz and his compatriots.
John McEnroe praises Taylor Fritz’s improvements
Speaking to ESPN, just after McEnroe previewed the US Open final, he then sought to hone in on just Fritz and all the improvements his compatriot has made.
After all, this has been a historic run for the 26-year-old, but not one born of fortune.
In fact, he has been steadily building towards such success by steadily improving tournament by tournament now. His serve is a constant threat, and his ground game is now good enough to compete with anyone.
That is why he stands every chance of upsetting Jannik Sinner tonight, should he be on form.
McEnroe outlined two particular traits that Fritz has developed which has really impressed him: ‘He’s actually shown a lot better defensive skills that I’ve ever seen from Fritz, he’s in better shape than he’s ever been. I didn’t realise that if you get in better shape you automatically move better, which really impresses me for Taylor Fritz.’
American tennis is as strong as ever
Although there are no outstanding, dominant, Serena and Venus Williams-type figures in either the men’s or the women’s game, American tennis remains in a remarkable place all across the board.
That is no better exemplified than in both US Open finals, with Fritz and Jessica Pegula flying the flag for USA.
However, this is just the tip of the iceberg in what’s been a really promising year for so many.
Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton are two who have enjoyed particularly profitable 2024s, with the former moulding himself into a supremely well-rounded player across all courts.
Meanwhile, the big-serving 21-year-old’s game is a threat to everyone he faces, and is just a few tweaks away from being a real major threat.
Frances Tiafoe has turned things around after a really tough run of form, whilst Seb Korda has also enjoyed a few really good runs too.
Meanwhile, Coco Gauff remains one of the best in the world, even if she has struggled of late.
Her efforts are upheld by the likes of Danielle Collins, Emma Navarro and Madison Keys, to name just a few more high-quality Americans.
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