Warning: Surging Taylor Fritz On Verge Of Breakout

[scoop]

By Scoop Malinowski

We’ve only seen the beginning impact of the Tennys Sandgren phenomenon which erupted in Melbourne and sent major shockwaves through the ATP World Tour.

There is no doubt that handfuls of ATP Challenger grinders keenly observed Sandgren’s sensational run in Melbourne and are inspired by it.

As I pointed out in a recent article, Sandgren lost to over a dozen players last year in Challengers and each and every one of those players has to be believing that he too can now get hot like Sandgren and plow his way through a Grand Slam draw to the quarterfinals at least.

One such player who has suddenly awakened with a hot streak is Taylor Fritz. The Californian struggled with confidence last year though he did manage to beat Sandgren twice in successive weeks in Challengers.

Fritz is red hot right now, having won his first title in over a year last week in Newport Beach. And this week in Dallas he’s won another two rounds, tonight besting veteran Bradley Klahn again, for the second time in four days. It was another three set win for Fritz, this time a 7-6 in the third set buster, following Sundays Newport Beach final win 6-0 in the third.

Fritz played a very intelligent match tonight, defusing Klahn’s potent forehand by zeroing in on the Klahn backhand over and over and over, nicely mixing up the speeds and spins to provoke errors.

Fritz burst on the scene a couple of years ago, smashing through Australian Open qualies to reach the main draw, where he lost in five sets to Jack Sock. He also lost in five sets to Sock that year at the US Open. Last year Fritz struggled with inconsistent results and his ranking dropped outside the top 100. But he’s back in the 70s range again and clearly on the rise.

So if you’re wondering which Challenger player appears ready to recreate another Tennys Sandgren phenomenon this spring and summer, keep an eye on Taylor Fritz.

 

[herios]

I hope his focus is back and stays. His marriage, fatherhood were most likely a little too much to deal with at such age when they should concentrate on ddvelepoing as players. Good run for Taylor in Newport Beach.

 

[El Dude]

Holy Hyperbole, Batman!

Sandgren did not send "major shockwaves through the ATP World Tour."

 

[Ricardo]

Holy Hyperbole, Batman!

Sandgren did not send "major shockwaves through the ATP World Tour."

Unless you are on the tour, you just wouldn’t know. Players talk more than you know.

 

[El Dude]

Who knows, maybe. I just don't think a single QF appearance by a 26 year old should be considered "major shockwaves." It could be an outlier. Sure, he beat Stan and Thiem, but Stan is just getting over an injury and Thiem is hardly awe-inspiring off clay.

Dear scoop, bless his heart and whose writing I do enjoy, is prone to hyperbole.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Sandgren being invited to do an interview on Fox News is about as big as it gets for himself and tennis and it transcends the sport. And it will attract new fans to be interested in tennis and Sandgren. So people like Courier and Wertheim saying what Sandgren said "was a bad look" for tennis was inaccurate. All sports and all businesses have controversy and some dirty laundry. It's reality.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

El Dude. Sandgren won two matches in the ATP in six years. Then all the sudden he explodes for four wins in a Grand Slam. In one week he did better than he did for six years. That's like an earthquake. You can't name anything that happened in tennis of a greater magnitude of shockwaves than that can you? Please do try. I'm waiting.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

El Dude, I think what Sandgren has accomplished in the Australian Open should not be downplayed. I think the ATP should create a Dedication and Perseverance Award for tennis players and name it Sandgren's honor or Estrella Burgos' honor. I think Sandgren's heroics could be the inspiration and stimulant American tennis has needed to spark that final push to where Americans are now challenging for major titles. And in the near future courts and stadiums will need to be renamed in his honor

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Like your way of thinking Chazz, well done. When there are four Ameicans in the top ten in the near future, it will be known as the Sandgrenaissance of American tennis

 

[El Dude]

Fair enough, @scoop. And don't get me wrong: I love stories like Sandgren's (or Estrella Burgos). I just think you over-exaggerated...just a wee bit. But no problem - that's your style, just don't be surprised if I bust your balls a bit for it ;-).

p.s. I think Roger winning another Slam at 36 and probably reclaiming #1 at some point soon is a bigger shockwave. Maybe even Chung's performance at the AO. But yeah, nice story re: Sandgren.

 

[El Dude]

p.s. I really hope you're right about Fritz. I've only watched highlights of one match, but he had a nice flowing style that reminded me a bit of Dimitrov.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Kudla is definitely making a move, he whupped Johnson in Brisbane, had Thiem on the ropes. Not a shock win, Fritz has played a lot of tennis the last two weeks and he just finished a 76 in the third last night. Tough to play the next day after surviving a win like that. No disrespect of Kudla though, he's a rising force too. The Sandgrenaissance factor in effect.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

El Dude you will need a sledgehammer to do that, I got a pair of titaniums No way. Fed was no. 2 last yr and he should've been 1 by a good margin had he played clay. Chung won #NEXTGEN so his run was not a shock so much. Sandgren won all of TWO ATP matches in six years and then won four in a span of a week at a major. I can't think of a bigger surprise other than Hewitt winning Adelaide at 16 or Estrella Burgos breaking the top 100 finally at 33 and then winning three consecutive Quitos.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

El Dude, Fritz plays nothing like Dimitrov, he has a slapshotty but powerful forehand and two handed backhand. His athleticism is not quite as pure as Super G. Which is not to say Fritz won't have the better career than Super G.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Fascinating interview how totally open and uninhibited Federer is with the world. He has no guard up whatsoever, he tells us everything, it's mesmerizing. Just wondering how beneficial it would be if Fed hired Rios as one of his part time coaches, he loves Rios, the way he played, and Rios loves Fed, what ideas or visions Rios might have that could spark Fed with even more inspiration and creativity. And also how emotional Federer gets at times in his career is so unique. I remember the first times he cried - after he won both singles matches vs USA in Davis Cup, he broke down. Also when he won his first Masters Series in Hamburg. I mean, we all know Federer like he's family almost. The whole life story, the whole career, all Federer enthusiasts know it. But one thing that would be hard to endure for him and his fans would be if his body broke down and he suffered a Mattek Sands type serious injury. I think the stadium and court with fill up with about three feet deep in tears. But thanks for posting that interview Duke, it's a must watch.

 

[El Dude]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

El Dude, Fritz plays nothing like Dimitrov, he has a slapshotty but powerful forehand and two handed backhand. His athleticism is not quite as pure as Super G. Which is not to say Fritz won't have the better career than Super G.

Yeah, I know they play differently. But what I remember of watching Fritz is that he was fluid, moved nicely. Or maybe it was an almost gentle quality.

 

[Busted]

Holy Hyperbole, Batman!

Sandgren did not send "major shockwaves through the ATP World Tour."

Thanks. I thought I missed something. The only thing about Sandgren that sent shockwaves was his history of alt-right nutjob tweeting...

 

[Busted]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Sandgren being invited to do an interview on Fox News is about as big as it gets for himself and tennis and it transcends the sport. And it will attract new fans to be interested in tennis and Sandgren. So people like Courier and Wertheim saying what Sandgren said "was a bad look" for tennis was inaccurate. All sports and all businesses have controversy and some dirty laundry. It's reality.

No offense but "transcends the sport" in a bad way. Tennis really does NOT need alt-right nut jobs as fans. The sport has enough diversity problems as it is. Do they really want to be seen as the sport FOX News and the KKK supports? What's next - Steve Bannon and Sean Hannity kick the McEnroe brothers out of the ESPN booth?

 

[britbox]

No offense but "transcends the sport" in a bad way. Tennis really does NOT need alt-right nut jobs as fans. The sport has enough diversity problems as it is. Do they really want to be seen as the sport FOX News and the KKK supports? What's next - Steve Bannon and Sean Hannity kick the McEnroe brothers out of the ESPN booth?

Oh please...stop the hysterics. Like Fox News and the KKK are somehow interlinked...

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

So everyone that watches Fox News is an alt right nutjob? That's an interesting opinion to put out here. Conservatives are not nut jobs though the left will try to smear that defamation on people with alternative views and opinions to their own. I can assure you Sandgren is not a nutjob.