Carlos Alcaraz secured his place in the Wimbledon final for the third consecutive year by defeating Taylor Fritz in four sets at Centre Court. The Spanish player’s victory on July 12, 2024, marked a significant milestone as he aims to become only the fifth man in the Open Era to win three straight Wimbledon titles.
Alcaraz triumphed over Fritz with a scoreline of 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6, extending his impressive winning streak to 24 matches and advancing to the All England Club championship match. Meanwhile, Fritz faced another tough setback at a Grand Slam event, yet tennis legend John McEnroe commended the American for what he described as his most aggressive Wimbledon performance to date.
John McEnroe Reviews Fritz’s Bold Strategy Against Alcaraz
Speaking on BBC, McEnroe highlighted Fritz’s approach as perfectly suited to the challenge posed by Alcaraz. He noted that Fritz’s game plan involved taking major risks, particularly with his serve, pushing the limits on his second serve more than ever before.
“He was aggressive. He was going huge on his ground strokes, and he has great groundstrokes,”
McEnroe observed, emphasizing the high risk but high reward style Fritz adopted throughout the match.
Fritz’s serving statistics underpinned this aggressive style: he delivered 19 aces and recorded six double faults, with a first serve percentage of 59%. On successful first serves, Fritz won 82% of points, while his second serve points were won 64% of the time. This penetrating serving contributed to the dynamic, high-pressure match on grass.
According to McEnroe, Fritz’s aggressive tactics inevitably led to some errors, but this was evidence of his commitment to a more daring style of play.
“I think it’s the best match I have ever seen him play on grass without a doubt,”
McEnroe commented.
“I think only a player like Alcaraz could deal with that. I actually think he should play like that more often. He is more dangerous, but Alcaraz is something out of this world.”
—John McEnroe, Tennis Legend
Missed Chances and a Shift to Safety in the Decisive Moments
As the match reached its climax in the fourth set tiebreak, Fritz held two set points but failed to convert them, missing an opportunity to push the contest into a fifth set against the defending champion.
Reflecting on this pivotal moment, McEnroe suggested that Fritz’s performance became more cautious.
“He had a couple of set points, and there were a couple of balls he will look back on,”
he said.
“He had a chance to go bigger, and he played it slightly safe. Sometimes you don’t get away with that when you are playing a guy like this. Most guys, he would have won this set.”
—John McEnroe, Tennis Legend
After exiting Wimbledon, Fritz, currently the world number five, will now prepare for the upcoming US Open. He aims to defend the points he earned as a finalist at last year’s Flushing Meadows tournament, hoping to build on the momentum from his aggressive Wimbledon play.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What is Taylor Fritz’s height and weight?
A. Fritz is a popular name for boys in Germany. It started as a shorter form of the name Friedrich or Frederick. King Frederick II of Prussia and Frederick III, the German Emperor, were often called by nicknames like Der Alte Fritz and Stary Fryc. Fritz can also be a nickname for names like Fridolin, and sometimes Francis.
Q. How rich is Taylor Fritz?
A. According to Celebrity Worth Net, Taylor Fritz’s net worth is $10 million. He is the top-ranked American male tennis player of his generation. Taylor is recognized for his strong serve, bold baseline play, and calm behavior on the court.
Q. How old was Taylor Fritz when his son was born?
A. In January 2017, the Break Point subject became a father to Jordan with his then-wife, Raquel Pedraza. At that time, Taylor was a promising 19-year-old tennis player. Now, he has reached the semi-finals in the 2024 US Open.
Q. Why is Taylor Fritz blonde?
A. In an ATP video, Fritz mentioned he’s thought about going blonde for years and finally kept a promise made at the start of every season. “I’ve asked people about it every year at the Australian Open,” Fritz explained.