Taylor Fritz has opened up about his difficult period dealing with knee problems, his ambitions of winning a Grand Slam, and the challenges of life on the ATP Tour. The American shared his thoughts in this exclusive interview with Bolavip after reaching the Stockholm Open final, where he defeated Lorenzo Musetti in the semifinals to set up a meeting with Thiago Agustin Tirante.
Fritz has been encouraged by his recent performances after spending around a year and a half struggling with his knee. The American believes he is finally moving in the right direction and feels he can now focus on developing the areas of his game that could help him compete for the biggest titles in tennis.
His victory over Musetti represents another positive step for Fritz, who will now have the opportunity to fight for another ATP title in Stockholm. However, his comments also touched on the differences between competing against the best players in the world and the personal challenges of spending so much time on the professional circuit.
Fritz finally sees improvement after difficult knee problems
Fritz explained that his performances toward the end of the year have given him renewed confidence in his ability to keep improving. After an extended period in which his knee problems made it difficult to develop his game, the American is finally feeling positive about his progress and believes he can now focus on reaching another level.
Taylor Fritz celebrating / Getty Images
“The level I have played at the end of the year is giving me a lot of confidence that I am still improving a lot and moving in the right direction. For the last year and a half I have dealt so much with my knee and it’s been really tough for me to actually improve. That has definitely been very tough for me,” Fritz said.
The American also explained that the last couple of months have been particularly encouraging, as he is beginning to feel that he can play regularly without being held back by his physical problems. That has allowed him to think more about the technical improvements needed to compete for the biggest trophies in the sport.
“The last couple of months have been encouraging, and I finally see improvement in my game. I am really excited for what’s to come, because I finally have the feeling I can play a lot. I can finally start fixing the things in my game that I need to fix to win a Grand Slam.”
Fritz identifies what he needs to improve to win a Grand Slam
One of the areas Fritz wants to develop is his transition game, particularly his ability to move forward and finish points at the net. However, the American believes that simply improving his volleys is not enough against the level of opposition he faces on the ATP Tour today.
He explained that approaching the net requires more than just being comfortable at the front of the court, as players need to create the right opportunities and put their opponents under enough pressure with their approach shots.
“A lot of what I want to improve is transitioning, you know, coming forward to the net. Also, one thing is coming forward, but I need to be able to generate enough power with the dead balls and make a good enough approach shot to come forward.”
Taylor Fritz in action at Laver Cup / Getty Images
Fritz also highlighted how difficult it has become to attack the net against modern players, who possess incredible speed and the ability to produce passing shots from almost any position. For him, the key is understanding when to come forward rather than simply trying to become a better volleyer.
“It’s too easy to say I just need to volley better, because the guys today are so fast and have so amazing passing shots, so it doesn’t really matter how good you volley if you don’t come in at the right time.”
Fritz explains what separates him from Sinner and Alcaraz
Fritz was also asked to assess the differences between his game and those of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the two players who have established themselves as the dominant forces in men’s tennis. The American admitted that it is difficult to make a direct comparison with Sinner, particularly because he has not faced the Italian in some time.
“It’s tough to say what separates me from Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, actually. I haven’t played Jannik for a while, so it’s tough to say, because I don’t really watch a lot of tennis to be honest. He is an amazing returner and mover and just such an elite ball striker of course.”
When it comes to Alcaraz, Fritz believes there are occasions when he can compete at the same level as the Spaniard. He pointed to their meeting in Paris as an example, explaining that he felt he had the opportunity to win and was capable of matching the level required to challenge one of the best players in the world.
“With Carlos, I feel like there are days where I can play on that level, basically like I did in Paris, where I was in a position to beat him. I was on the same level as him in that match, so it’s definitely more in terms of the consistency.”
According to Fritz, the biggest challenge is reproducing that level consistently, particularly when facing elite opponents in high-pressure situations. He believes that playing aggressively becomes easier when there is little expectation to win, but the real test is maintaining that mentality regardless of the circumstances.
“Playing like that all the time is easy to do when there is no pressure on you against such a good player, so I think it taught me to play with no pressure and an aggressive style where I feel like I have nothing to lose, and then I just need to do it all the time.”
Fritz also explained that Sinner and Alcaraz present very different challenges on the court. While he feels that Alcaraz’s unpredictable and varied style makes him uncomfortable, Sinner is capable of beating him while playing in a way that is much closer to his own approach.
“I think Carlos is very uncomfortable playing due to his way of playing. He makes me more uncomfortable than Jannik, but Jannik will beat me more by playing my own game, which means that I feel comfortable against Jannik, but he still beats me doing it.”
Fritz understands Tirante: It can be pretty lonely
Beyond his tennis ambitions, Fritz also shared some thoughts about his relationships with other players and the personal challenges of spending so much time on the professional circuit.
The American described himself as a naturally shy person and admitted that he generally keeps to himself rather than regularly socializing with his colleagues: “I am pretty shy in general, so I don’t really talk to the other guys in the locker room, except for my very close friends on the Tour.”
Fritz also addressed the comments made by Thiago Agustin Tirante about the difficulties of life on the ATP Tour. Although he described himself as a relaxed and laid-back person who prefers to focus on his own routine, he understands why other players can struggle with the constant demands of professional tennis.
“I am pretty chill and laid back, so I just do my own thing, but I get what Tirante is saying, because it really is tough to be on the Tour all the time, there is no doubt about that.”
Tirante focused after winning a point / Getty Images
The American believes that the tennis calendar is one of the biggest challenges players have to deal with, particularly because of the amount of time they are expected to remain focused and competitive throughout the season. He also revealed that he has been advocating for a longer off-season for quite some time, believing that players need more opportunities to rest and recover.
“I have been campaigning for a very long time that we should have more time off. The season is very long and you have to be very focused all the time and you never get a break.
“It can be pretty lonely being on the Tour, so I think a lot of people are feeling the same way as Tirante to be honest. A lot of players understand where he is coming from.”
Fritz to face Tirante in Stockholm Open final
Fritz will now turn his attention to the Stockholm Open final, where he will face Tirante for the title on Saturday. The Argentine has also enjoyed an impressive run in Sweden, making the championship match after a strong week at the ATP 250 tournament.
The final will present Fritz with another opportunity to turn his recent improvement into silverware. After overcoming his physical difficulties and finding greater confidence in his game, the American will be hoping to finish his Stockholm campaign with a title and continue building momentum toward his bigger ambitions.
