Taylor Fritz was very disappointed after losing the 2024 US Open final, and even weeks later, he thinks that it will likely never go away.
Fritz had his best-ever run in a tennis event at the recent US Open because he made the final of a major. It was the first time he made a Grand Slam final, and while he fancied his chances against Jannik Sinner, the Italian didn't allow any surprises.
He played a super solid match to beat the American in straight sets, and it was a tough loss for the home player. It was difficult for Fritz to swallow because he was playing some of the best tennis he has ever played, and he truly believed that he could win the final match.
His comments before the final signaled that, but he couldn't really show it on the court. He had a minor chance in the third set when he played really well, but once again, he couldn’t extend the match, and that's something that he'll need to find a way to live with.
He spoke a bit about his experience after the event, also admitting on a podcast that he fell into destructive habits immediately upon losing. That created some concern, even though those habits were harmless, such as eating food and playing video games all day.
The American later took to social media to clarify his comment and simply point out that it's his standard way of decompressing after an event. It's normal, and every player does it, even though the nature of how they decompress varies, obviously, from player to player.
Recently, Fritz showed a solid level at the Laver Cup, which should put everybody’s mind at ease. After moving to Tokyo to start the Asian swing, he spoke with the ATP, and in the interview, he again talked about the US Open loss.
While recognising that overall it was a great run, the American admitted that the disappointment of not winning that event would not necessarily go away.
"There’s a lot of positives, but I don’t think the disappointment will ever necessarily go away. It’s not disappointment about losing, it’s disappointment about just believing or wishing that I would’ve just played a better match if I lost."
It’s a very human feeling, and most people can relate to Fritz in one way or another. It was the moment he had worked for his entire life, and the regret of not being able to play better tennis at that moment wasn't just going to evaporate.
It will be present for a while, and he'll keep replaying it in his mind. With time and more success, he might come to terms with it and accept it for what it is, but until he wins a Grand Slam, he likely won't stop thinking about it—it's just the way it is.
What is certain, though, is that it was a confidence-building run, because now, he knows he can do it.
0 Comments