By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday September 8, 2024
New York—Taylor Fritz needed to snicker when he has requested by a reporter if Jannik Sinner had improved because the first time he performed him.
It is fairly apparent, in spite of everything.
After falling to the No.1-ranked Italian in Sunday’s US Open ultimate, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5, Fritz had the next to say concerning the distinction between the Italian then and now.
“The most important enchancment by far is his serve,” Fritz mentioned. “If I am going to return – as a result of I performed him final yr in Indian Wells, and he had already improved his serve. I believe from then I do not assume the development is, like, a ton. I believe he was very, superb at that time.”
Fritz says he used to really feel comfy returning in opposition to Sinner, believing that he may win lots of return factors in opposition to him, even in opposition to his first serve.
But it surely wasn’t the case on Sunday as Sinnere received 38 of 43 first serve factors and managed the phrases of the tennis behind his first providing.
Issues had been totally different when Fritz defeated Sinner three years in the past at Indian Wells.
“If I wish to go to 2021 Indian Wells, the serve and the motion, huge enhancements,” Fritz mentioned. “I may discover myself in lots of return video games simply off of his first serve. I felt like I may get myself in factors off of his first serve each time. Then it was a lot simpler to harm him from the bottom, as nicely. So he is a lot quicker, loads higher out of the corners. His serve is actually good now.”
The sport of the 23-year-old Italian appears nearly as good as ever. He improved to 6-0 in finals this season and improved to 14-0 on the hardcourt Slams together with his title run in New York. General Sinner is 35-2 on exhausting courts in 2024.
However look out ATP Tour, Sinner nonetheless sees room for enchancment.
“You at all times must work, you must,” mentioned Sinner. “It by no means stops. It is such as you at all times maintain going and maintain going. Till now I did not have a lot day without work to say, okay, you have got completed a terrific job. “That is all a part of the sacrifices you make for an eventual future. So we’ll maintain working.
“In my thoughts, I do know that I am not excellent and I’ll by no means be excellent, however we at all times attempt to evolve in my recreation. Then after my profession I can say, okay, I’ve completed every thing doable to be at one hundred pc.”
