Taylor Fritz, ranked world No. 4, expressed confidence ahead of the US Open that top-ranked players Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are “beatable.” Reflecting on his progress since reaching the US Open final last year, Fritz believes he has improved significantly across all aspects of his game.

Fritz recently exited the Citi DC Open in the quarter-finals after a three-set match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Next, the American is set to compete as the second seed at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Toronto, opening against Roberto Carballes Baena.

Speaking about the challenge posed by Sinner and Alcaraz—who have dominated the last seven Grand Slams and hold the two highest ATP rankings—Fritz acknowledged their superiority but noted their vulnerability under certain conditions.

“Yeah, there’s always going to be openings, just depending on the conditions, and if someone has a really good day or a really bad day, it’s possible,” said Fritz. He also noted that surface speed and player form on the day can tip the scales in tight matches.

The American’s upward trajectory at Grand Slam tournaments is evident, with quarter-final or better results in five of the last eight majors. At the 2024 US Open, Fritz defeated players like Casper Ruud, Alexander Zverev, and Frances Tiafoe before falling to world No. 1 Sinner in the final.

Fritz also reached his first Wimbledon semi-final this year, narrowly losing to Alcaraz in four sets after holding a set point. Reflecting on his improvements, he commented, “I feel like I’m serving better this year than I was last year, definitely at the US Open. I’m hitting all my shots a little bit better, more consistently this year. I’m trying to move better. I’m not sure if I am, but I feel good. I’m always trying to improve a little bit on everything.”

Iga Swiatek has openly expressed admiration for Carlos Alcaraz, describing him as a “huge inspiration” and admitting she wishes she could emulate some aspects of his approach to tennis. Both players, leading figures of their generations, are on the cusp of completing their Career Grand Slams, each needing the Australian Open title to join this elite club.

Swiatek extended her flawless record in Grand Slam finals to 6-0 with a dominating 6-0, 6-0 victory over Amanda Anisimova at Wimbledon 2025, a testament to her remarkable consistency on the biggest stages. Alcaraz also enjoyed success recently, capturing his fifth major at the French Open with a thrilling five-set win against Jannik Sinner. However, he experienced his first Grand Slam final defeat at Wimbledon, falling to Sinner in four sets.

In an interview with TVA Sports, the 24-year-old Pole highlighted Alcaraz’s joyful approach to tennis, noting it as a key inspiration. “I wish I was more like Carlos because I have got to say he is a big inspiration in terms of that,” Swiatek said. She acknowledged the pressure that accompanies professional tennis and how Alcaraz’s mindset of enjoying the sport serves as a reminder for her. “He always says that the most important thing for him on a tennis court is to enjoy it and have fun and I sometimes forget about that. And sometimes with all the pressure around and things we need to do off the court, you need to remind yourself about this kid that started playing tennis, instead of winning for somebody and having this baggage on your shoulders. For sure, when Carlos shows that and when he speaks about that, it is always a good reminder for me, and I try to do that as well, but without me working on it, I think my mind would automatically go to just working, working, working.”

Swiatek is set to begin her Canadian Open campaign against 259th-ranked Chinese qualifier Guo Hanyu in Montreal. Meanwhile, Alcaraz will not participate in the Masters event in Toronto, opting for rest after a demanding stretch of competition. On Twitter, the world No. 2 said, “After many consecutive weeks of competition without rest, I will not be able to play in Toronto this year. I have small muscles issues and I need to recover physically and mentally for what comes next. To the tournament and to my fans in Canada I am very sorry, I will see you next year!”

Grigor Dimitrov’s impressive streak of appearing in 58 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments is set to end as he withdraws from the upcoming US Open due to injury. Since the 2011 Australian Open, Dimitrov’s name has been a fixture on every men’s singles main draw entry list. However, the Bulgarian will be absent from the US Open this year after sustaining a partial tear of his right pectoralis major muscle at Wimbledon.

During Wimbledon, Dimitrov was leading by two sets against eventual champion Jannik Sinner but was forced to retire due to the injury. Despite hopes for recovery, Dimitrov has not regained fitness in time for the American Slam. His manager, Georgi Stoimenov, confirmed to TennisKafe that Dimitrov will be sitting out this tournament, with the possibility of returning for events in China later in September still uncertain.

Dimitrov holds the record for the longest active consecutive Grand Slam appearance streak at 58 tournaments. Over these years, his performance at the majors has seen various milestones, including reaching the Wimbledon semi-final in 2014 and multiple quarter-final appearances at the Australian Open and French Open. His recent Grand Slam results reflect a seasoned career that continues to face challenges from injuries and form.

As he recovers, all eyes will be on his return to competitive play later this season. For now, the absence of a player who has been a constant presence on the major stage marks the end of an era in active Grand Slam participation count.