Taylor Fritz, the No. 12 rated ATP player from the United States, is leading that effort.
The No. 12 rated American on the ATP rankings has won three tournaments in his career, including two this year.
Fans of American tennis have a lot to be excited about right now because of the influx of young players.
However, if Fritz, who grew up idolizing Pete Sampras, a 14-time Grand Slam champion,
Despite expressing it, he is under pressure to carry the torch left by the preceding generation.
“I don’t really feel like I have the pressure on me to be like the next (great) American,”
At a press conference held prior to Fritz’s match at the ATP Eugene Korea Open in Seoul, he stated.
“I think we have a lot of guys and obviously, I want it to be me. But I’m just really focused on myself and my own career and doing the best I can do. I’m not really feeling the pressure to accomplish anything because I’m American or a lot of people expect something of me.”
“I think I put a lot of pressure on myself, and I expect a lot of myself,” he added. “So that’s where the pressure comes from.”
Fritz has always been nurtured as a celebrity. In 2015, he clinched the boys’ singles U.S. Open championship and advanced to the French Open boys’ final.
He made it to the top of the world junior rankings on the strength of those performances.
Fritz defeated Rafael Nadal to win the ATP Masters 1000 at Indian Wells this year, and he also triumphed at Eastbourne.
At a Grand Slam competition, he made his longest run, in a thrilling five-set match against Nadal in the Wimbledon quarterfinals this year.
Fritz credited his extra efforts for helping him reach a career-high ranking of 12 this season.
“I feel my forehand has become a much bigger weapon than it was before: Taylor Fritz
“I’ve been working really hard and certain parts of my game have just come together,”
he said.
I feel my forehand has become a much bigger weapon than it was before. And I’m putting a lot of things together on the court.”
Following his performance at the Laver Cup, Fritz arrived in Seoul late on Tuesday.
a team event in London where the rest of the world competes against Europe.
He still sounded jet-lagged at the podium Wednesday, but luckily for him, he got a first-round bye as the No. 3 seed and won’t play until Thursday,
As a No. 3 seed, he received a first-round bye and won’t play until Thursday.
“Coming straight from the Laver Cup and getting in late last night, it’s going to be tough, maybe the first round or two,”
he stated.
“I think it’s very important that I can get through my first matches here. And if I do that, then I think I’ll have a very good chance to win the tournament. But I feel good, honestly, for flying all day yesterday and getting in last night.”
After losing the first four attempts, Team World finally claimed its first Laver Cup victory.
And Fritz remarked that enjoying the event with the squad was “one of the best moments in my tennis career so far.”
The competition this year also had considerable historical significance because Roger Federer,
the 20-time Grand Slam winner and all-time great played his last match.
“Obviously, it was a very historical weekend in tennis with Roger retiring, “Fritz remarked.
“To thank him personally for everything he’s done for the sport … just to be there was a huge honor.”
Follow us on Twitter for more tennis updates
