Taylor Fritz is through to his maiden semi-final at Wimbledon, setting up a mouthwatering clash with Carlos Alcaraz on Friday.
Fritz overcame a tough test from Karen Khachanov in his quarter-final match, and the USA star will now be dreaming of a first Grand Slam title.
John McEnroe had some advice for Fritz going into this one, and it will be fascinating to see if he takes those words on board going into the closing stages of the tournament.
It’s been a steady couple of weeks for Fritz who won the Eastbourne Open before Wimbledon and now he will have his sights set on a far bigger prize this weekend.
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesTommy Paul delivers verdict on Taylor Fritz
Paul and Fritz were the two players tasked with trying to win gold for the USA in Paris at last year’s Olympics, but ultimately, they had to settle for bronze.
It was still a proud moment for the two players who have been carrying the weight of expectation when it comes to men’s tennis in the United States for some time.
After Fritz overcame a stern test from Khachanov, Wimbledon took to Instagram and said: “Welcome to the Wimbledon semi-finals, Taylor.”
Paul delivered a truly emphatic verdict on his mate’s victory and said: “The guy is a menace on the grass.”
Fritz will hope to now go all the way, and with Alcaraz in his way next, he really doesn’t have much to lose when he faces the two-time champion.
Fritz must grasp this chance to win a major
At 27, Fritz has waited his whole life to win one of the sport’s biggest tournaments and came so close at the US Open when he lost in the final.
However, Fritz has been given a golden chance to win something at Wimbledon, and he must grasp this opportunity with both hands.
Fritz saw the seeds fall like dominoes in his quarter of the draw, and perhaps he won’t get the same level of luck when it comes to future Grand Slam tournaments.
Fritz will now have to beat Carlos Alcaraz and probably either Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic to win the trophy but that is something that he’s capable of.
Given his age, Fritz is now in his prime and it will be fascinating to see how he copes with the extra pressure of playing Alcaraz in the semi-final.