I mentioned going into this Wimbledon fortnight that Taylor Fritz faced a very important tournament. It was a prove-it moment, a defining occasion, for the American who took an injured Rafael Nadal into the fifth set of the 2022 quarterfinals but couldn’t close the deal. This Wimbledon, one year later, marked a return to the scene of a difficult moment and therefore a chance to respond to a challenge. On the other side of that challenge, however, lay the possibility that a shattering defeat would emerge.
The fact that I cited this Wimbledon as a very important tournament struck a few people as an act of overplaying or overselling Fritz and/or his chances, as though he didn’t merit that much attention and he wasn’t a serious contender. We can debate that point all day, but given that Fritz came achingly close to a first major semifinal at this tournament one year ago, the expiration date on his (legitimate) candidacy for a big run at Wimbledon had not yet expired.
It WAS still worth mentioning Fritz as a serious contender heading into this Wimbledon, this year.
After his loss to Mikael Ymer, however, the expiration date has arrived. Fritz won’t be mentioned as a prime contender for future majors unless or until he warrants that consideration. He had his little run, his tennis life cycle, but he couldn’t extend it.
This brings up the larger point that tennis players are constantly going through these cycles. It’s not as though a player remains a title contender after once becoming a contender. Grigor Dimitrov ceased being a major title contender several years ago, though one never knows when he might surprise us all.
Garbine Muguruza stopped being a contender in recent years. So did Stan Wawrinka. So did Sloane Stephens. These are not permanent realities, but there does come a point when a credentialed player doesn’t merit the same degree of attention or focus as s/he once did.
Taylor Fritz earned the cessation of Serious Title Consideration. His life cycle has ended. He has to give birth to a new one, and it will take a lot of doing to make that happen.
On the other hand, some players extend their life cycles. Some players continue to show they are worthy of consideration as major title contenders.
Two examples emerged from Saturday: Ons Jabeur and Matteo Berrettini. Former Wimbledon finalists who have been knocked around by injuries were able to get off the deck and beat opponents who have played in major finals before. Jabeur handled 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu in a very tough 3-setter, and Berrettini fended off Alexander Zverev. We can say that Andreescu and Zverev aren’t what they once where, but they still have a presence on court and in the locker room. Jabeur and Berrettini had to not only face them on Saturday, but produce quality tennis in the midst of a season which has been marked by considerable interruptions.
We find out what players are made of in these moments. When the road gets bumpy and once-owned belief isn’t automatically there; when the athlete has to start over and call forth past attributes in the present tense, can muscle memory rush back to the surface and guide a tennis player to a fresh conquest?
Jabeur and Berrettini did just that. It’s precisely the kind of win which gains a lot of respect and attention in the locker room.
Two life cycles continued. Taylor Fritz, we’ll divorce now and see if you earn your way back into this conversation at a later point in time.
Tennis with an Accent 