Taylor Fritz is back at the US Open after coming close to ending the Slam drought for American men

NEW YORK (AP)—As personally satisfying and career-boosting as Taylor Fritz's runner-up showing at the 2024 US Open was, he is attempting to keep that out of his mind as he goes back to Flushing Meadows. Instead, he wants to remain rooted in the present.

"I'm honestly trying not to think about last year there," Fritz said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I want to do everything the same as I did it last time—which is not looking ahead in the draw, not thinking about the end of the tournament."

When play begins Sunday at the final Grand Slam tournament of the season, Fritz should have every reason to expect big things from himself, just as American tennis fans are bound to expect big things from the 27-year-old Californian who has produced quite a 12-month stretch.

Fritz has reached a career-best No. 4 in the rankings, behind only No. 1 Jannik Sinner, No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and No. 3 Alexander Zverev. In addition to making it to the final in New York before losing to Sinner—the first appearance in a title match for a U.S. man at any Grand Slam tournament since 2009—Fritz also was beaten by Sinner in the final of the ATP Finals in Italy in November and by Alcaraz in the semifinals at Wimbledon last month.

"Against a player like that, if you don't show up, and you don't play with your front foot by going forward, applying pressure, and you let him dictate," Gabriel Diallo said about Fritz after losing to him at the All England Club, "the result is going to be the one that happened today."

A big serve, big forehand and increasingly effective return game have elevated Fritz toward the top of men's tennis, even if he — like many others—hasn't quite broken through for a major championship in this era of dominance by Sinner and Alcaraz.

Fritz is well aware, of course, that no man from his country has won a major singles trophy since Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open.

I'm honestly trying not to think about last year there. I want to do everything the same as I did it last time—which is not looking ahead in the draw, not thinking about the end of the tournament. Taylor Fritz

"I don't feel like I have a responsibility to do it—or I don't feel like people are counting on me or anything. I think all the pressure that I feel is just the pressure that I'm putting on myself," Fritz said. "I'm a competitor, I've given my whole life to playing tennis, and that's what I really want, is to win a Slam. So the pressure's definitely coming from just me wanting it, and not from anywhere else."

His coach, Michael Russell, thinks part of Fritz's better results at majors has come from being more fit and improving his endurance, which allows him to believe in his ability to play lengthy matches.

He won a pair of five-setters in the first two rounds at Wimbledon, for example.

"There's still quite a few things he can improve—and he's willing to do that. He's very stubborn, which makes him a great player, but he's also been more absorbent and willing to work on some things," Russell said. "Going deeper in these events breeds confidence. Getting new experiences and seeing, ‘Oh, wait, my hard work is paying off.' It's a snowball effect."

There's still quite a few things he can improve—and he's willing to do that. He's very stubborn, which makes him a great player, but he's also been more absorbent and willing to work on some things. Going deeper in these events breeds confidence. Getting new experiences and seeing, ‘Oh, wait, my hard work is paying off.' It's a snowball effect. Coach Michael Russell on Taylor Fritz

The memory that stands out the most for Fritz from last year's trip to New York was earning a Grand Slam final debut by eliminating countryman—and friend—Frances Tiafoe.

"Feelings like that," Fritz said about winning his first major semifinal, "are the reasons why I like to compete and why I like to play tennis. How good those moments feel."

Still, that doesn't mean he's pulled up footage of that match, or any other, from those two weeks.

Not yet, anyway.

"If I feel like things aren't really clicking, then at that point, maybe I'd go back and watch some matches, just to see what it was looking like and what was working for me," Fritz said. "Kind of try and jog my memory a little bit."