Carlos Alcaraz appears to be on his way to a third-straight Wimbledon title. With the Spaniard besting Novak Djokovic in the last two seasons, his form indicates nothing but a three-peat. He made it evident on Friday after clearing the third round against Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff, showing off his prowess at the grass surface. Parallel to the five-time slam champion, however, America’s Taylor Fritz also looks set for a deep run at the grass major, entering the fourth round by overcoming Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. 

Fritz has shown sheer will and courage on the court in all his three encounters. First, he advanced the Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard’s hammering serves—with one being the fastest ever in Wimbledon history which Jim Courier even called “the near-death experience in tennis terms”—in a five-setter. Then, he took down Canada’s Gabriel Diallo in another five-set cliffhanger. On Friday, the tough mentality was apparent in four sets before he outlasted Fokina to secure a fourth-round ticket. Naturally, after witnessing Fritz’s heroics, tennis experts can’t stop praising him.

During a post-match segment of Tennis Channel, sports commentator Brett Haber looked at the bottom half of the men’s Wimbledon draw. And it looks like there might be a chance of Fritz facing none other than Alcaraz. The latter is going through a dominating form with a 21-match win streak. But it seems the American may actually emerge as a big threat to him. Former WTA icon Lindsay Davenport believes so.

Haber asked, “Who’s gonna trouble Alcaraz in this half of the draft?” Ex-ATP pro Prakash Amritraj replied, “Fritz! I really think it’s just Fritz. You’re gonna need a whole lot besides just a big serve. Taylor’s got it all, and I think he’s feeling very good. I also think the final at the US Open last year, it’s gonna help him when he gets to those big moments again.

“His mindset has looked amazing. Everything thrown at him this grass season and he’s just rolling with it. Absolute baller,” Davenport added.

Former American legend and 8-time slam winner Jim Courier also admired the 27-year-old. According to him, “Taylor Fritz has escaped and sometimes when you have those moments, gotta remember first match he’s down 5-1 in the fourth set tiebreaker to a guy with the bomb serve. A 153 mph to be precise (Giovanni) Mpetshi Perricard. He survives that, the near-death experience in tennis terms. He’s got house money, you never know.”

Taylor Fritz looks to replicate Pete Sampras’ Wimbledon milestone

For the uninitiated, Pete Sampras was the last American ATP player to win the Gentlemen’s trophy. Back in 2000, he bested Patrick Rafter in the summit clash with a score line of 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 6-2. It was his seventh and last Wimbledon title triumph.

In the last 25 years, however, no American man has been able to mirror Sampras’ success. With Fritz being in the form of his life on grass this season, home fans will be hoping for the wait to end. Last month, the World No.5 proved his potential on the green surface by lifting two ATP trophies. Firstly, he beat Alexander Zverev at the BOSS Open. Then he defeated compatriot Jenson Brooksby at the Eastbourne Open.

And now, he’s been able to carry the solid form into Wimbledon as well. While he’s in the fourth round now, he will look to improve on it. Fritz’s best run includes reaching the quarterfinal twice (2022 and 2024). This time, he will try to go the distance and fulfill his slam dream. Do you think he can make it happen? Let us know in the comments below.

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