At the end of the 2024 season, Taylor Fritz, 27, joined the American men’s tennis elite. Fritz, the 2024 US Open finalist, finished the season with the ATP/PIF World No. 4 ranking.
Fritz became the fifth American man to hold the World No. 4 ranking since 2000, joining Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and James Blake, the last man to do it in 2006. This means American men’s tennis had four players in the Top Four in six years from 2000-2006. Three of those men (Sampras, Agassi, Roddick) are Grand Slam champions.
18 years later, Taylor Fritz joined the group of World No. 4’s. Fritz had a 2024 record of 53-23 and won two titles.
Can Taylor Fritz Break US Men’s Grand Slam Drought?
Now that Fritz has ascended in the rankings, the next logical question is can he win a Grand Slam? The American men have been kept out of this exclusive club for 21 years. Andy Roddick’s 2003 US Open win is discussed each September, so much so that even Roddick wants the winless cycle to end.
In September, Fritz had his first crack at Grand Slam glory against Jannik Sinner in New York. Sinner was a buzzsaw in 2024. The World No. 1 lost only six matches with a 73-6 record. He won eight titles, thus winning two more titles than he had match losses. His otherworldly play gave Fritz problems at the 2024 US Open.
Hopefully, Fritz gets another chance and succeeds the next time around. If not, Taylor Fritz, then one of his American peers, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Sebastian Korda, or Tommy Paul must break through.
Taylor Fritz will open his 2025 season later this month joining Coco Gauff at the United Cup in Perth. The Southern California native is in the process of confirming his 2025 schedule but has already committed to playing Laver Cup in September in San Francisco.
