Fritz vs. Sinner: Can an American Reclaim the US Open?
Orb Faithful,
Welcome back to the Orb ATP section of the blog!
As many of you know, Week 1 of the NFL kicks off tomorrow, and most of the sports world will have their eyes glued to that. But let me remind you of another major event happening at the same time—the US Open. Yes, that Grand Slam tournament that’s a pretty big deal!
While I’ll be diving into NFL content throughout the season, one of my key goals is to continue growing the ATP section of the blog. I want this to be a space where tennis fans can consistently find valuable insights and content, especially during moments like the final stages of the US Open.
Now, if you’ve been following my ATP coverage, you might have noticed a trend: almost every player I’ve mentioned in previous blogs has gone home early. And here we are, with just two men standing—world #1 Jannik Sinner and, for the first time, Taylor Fritz. Fritz now has a chance to become the first American man since Andy Roddick to win the US Open. While I’m still leaning toward Sinner to take home his second Grand Slam title of the year, it’s exciting to see Fritz make it to this stage. It’s a great moment for American tennis.
I’ve been pretty hard on the American men in the ATP during my short blogging career, but it seems they’ve been listening. Their performances have really turned a corner. Here are the American men currently ranked in the ATP Tour’s top 20:
Taylor Fritz #12
Ben Shelton #13
Tommy Paul #14
Sebastian Korda #16
Francis Tiafoe #20
As I’ve said before, I truly believe that tennis has the potential to rise as a major sport in the U.S. In my opinion, the ATP is far more engaging than something like the MLB. While baseball may be America’s pastime, the game today has become, frankly, a watered-down product that struggles to hold my attention. You really have to love baseball to sit through an entire game, let alone the full season.
If Fritz can pull off a win tomorrow and claim his first Grand Slam title, it would be a defining moment for tennis in the U.S. His success might spark a new wave of American interest, particularly among younger fans. This is exactly the boost tennis needs right now.
That said, the one downside to Fritz winning? His influencer girlfriend and the onslaught of Instagram posts, stories, and captions we’ll have to endure. For that, I’ll be hitting the mute button—regardless I’ll still be happy for Taylor!
Now, let’s break down some tactics that Taylor will need to deploy if he’s going to have a shot at upsetting world #1 Jannik Sinner. The most obvious factor is his serve and return game. I’m not too worried about Fritz placing his first serves, but how he handles Sinner’s serve will be crucial. Taking the ball early and cutting down Sinner’s time will be the first real test. Fritz cannot afford to double fault, especially against Sinner, every point is a battle with this guy. Double faults and unforced errors will take Fritz out of contention quickly. Gifting points only ramps up Sinners confidence as he is well versed in playing 5 set Grand Slam finals. He will drag you into the deep end if you let him.
The other key is rally length. Fritz must keep points short. In Sinner’s semifinal against Draper, we saw how Sinner can never be counted out of a point. His court coverage is elite, and his ability to counterstrike off what should be a “winner” is something I have never seen before.
Now, here’s what I like in the sportsbook for tomorrow’s Grand Slam final:
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