"I would put those two at the top" - Mary Joe Fernandez predicts Sebastian Korda and Taylor Fritz will lead the charge for American tennis

Former American tennis player Mary Joe Fernandez believes compatriots Taylor Fritz and Sebastian Korda have got what it takes to soar to the top in the sport.

Taylor Fritz has been a trailblazer for a brigade of current American tennis players, who have tried to make their mark in the sport of late by following the American No. 1’s path.

Former singles and doubles World No. 4, and ESPN tennis analyst Mary Joe Fernandez took note of Taylor Fritz’s recent success and stated that the 25-year-old is self-confident and is mentally the strongest among his countrymen.

“I feel like Taylor Fritz believes that he can do it. Mentally, he is perhaps the strongest,” she recently said on the Holding Court with Patrick McEnroe podcast.

Fritz had just one title to his name before his astonishing run at Indian Wells in 2022, where he defeated Rafael Nadal in the Masters 1000 final. The American went on to win two other titles in Eastbourne and Tokyo and made his debut inside the World’s Top 10 to conclude the season.

The World No. 7 hasn’t slowed down in 2023, contributing to his American team’s glory at the United Cup and winning his fifth career title at the Delray Beach Open. He, however, hasn’t been as successful in the best-of-five Grand Slam tournaments, with his latest run at the Australian Open ending in Round 2.

“I think he is disappointed that the last two Majors, he hasn’t been able to perform his best, but I feel like when he goes out there, he thinks he belongs,” Mary Joe Fernandez observed, “And I think that’s obviously a big part of it. I like how much he’s improved. He’s got weapons.”

Fernandez also picked 22-year-old Sebastian Korda to soon make a breakthrough on the tennis circuit and remarked that she felt he was in with a chance at the 2023 Australian Open.

Korda’s season started in stellar fashion, making his first final of the year at the Adelaide International 1. The American further reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the 2023 Australian Open, famously defeating 2021 and 2022 finalist Daniil Medvedev in the third round.

“I love Sebastian Korda. He’s got everything. He’s tall, his serve obviously can keep improving, but it was a lot better in Australia than it had been,” Mary Joe Fernandez said, “I feel like he can break through at any time. At one point in Australia, I thought, may be, ‘Wow! Could this be it? Could Australian Open be the one?’”

“So, I would put those two at the top,” she added referring to Taylor Fritz and Sebastian Korda.