30 American athletes to watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics
By Nick Villano
15. Taylor Fritz
Tennis
Up until Wednesday’s loss at Wimbledon, Taylor Fritz was all the rage for American viewers. He’s the top-ranked American player, and he surprisingly upset Alexander Zverev in the round of 16. However, he ended up losing in a competitive match with Lorenzo Musetti. After this meteoric rise in popularity, many will be watching Fritz to see how he does at Roland Garros.
At Wimbledon, Fritz ran out of gas. He was tenacious and never quit, but the fifth set in the Quarterfinals showed that fight wasn’t enough to win. At the Olympics, the schedule isn’t as grueling as a major, but it’s not a walk in the park. Still, so many eyes will be on him after his rise in the rankings in 2024.
What isn’t playing in Fritz’s favor is where this is. Since they are in France, this will be a clay court tournament. Fritz does not play as well on clay courts, as we have seen this year. He’s 11-6 overall on clay in 2024. His last appearance on clay is at this very court, losing in the fourth round of the French Open to Casper Ruud.
However, popularity can impact athletes in different ways. Some cower at the thought of immense popularity, and they just want to play the game in peace. Fritz might be the opposite. He might thrive off this new celebrity, and that could propel him at the Olympics. Is he the favorite? Not by a long shot, but don’t discount his chances completely.