"Djokovic would be clear favorite to win US Open" - Fritz on Djokovic's absence
ATP
Taylor Fritz thinks that Novak Djokovic would be a clear favorite to win the 2022 US Open if he was allowed to compete in New York.
Djokovic is the last man to lift a Grand Slam trophy. He won the 2022 Wimbledon Championships after beating Nick Kyrgios in the final. However, the Serbian player won't add his 22nd Grand Slam title at the 2022 US Open, as he was forced to withdraw from the tournament.
Djokovic is unable to enter the United States because he is not vaccinated. One of the best American players, Taylor Fritz, feels like the Serbian's absence massively increased the chances of other players.
"I think at the end of the day, he’s the best player in the world and would be the clear favorite to win the U.S. Open if he was allowed to play. [Without Djokovic] it’s the most spread out everyone’s chance of winning are for a long, long time, and honestly I think that makes it more exciting than ever."
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While Fritz likely felt compassionate on a personal level, he also sees the great chance that opened up with Roger Federer and Djokovic in the draw. He would like to see American players succeed.
"I think there was a long period where it was just basically [Roger] Federer, [Novak] Djokovic, [Rafael] Nadal, [Andy] Murray and it was always going to be one of those guys. I think now times are changing a bit, there’s no one that’s overly dominant right now so I feel like anyone between 10 people could win the tournament."
"I think that Americans can contend for Grand Slams right now. I see several Americans in the Round of 16, just like there were at Wimbledon, and then I feel pretty confident that at least one of us will make the quarterfinals, maybe more."
