Breaking News: 22-Time Major Champion Claims Taylor Fritz’s Grand Slam Confidence Sparks Huge Controversy Due to…
World No 11 and former world No 5 Fritz, the winner of eight ATP Titles across his career, has been in the best Grand Slam form of his life over the past year.
He reached a second major quarter-final at the US Open in 2023, losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic at that stage, before being beaten by the Serbian in the last eight of the Australian Open – his first-ever quarter-final in Melbourne.
Fritz then reached the second week of Roland Garros for the first time back in June, where it took two-time finalist Casper Ruud four sets to defeat him, before reaching a second Wimbledon quarter-final a week ago.
A five-set loss to Lorenzo Musetti may have been a disappointment for the American, who is yet to reach a major semi-final.
However, Bryan, who won 18 men’s doubles and four mixed doubles Grand Slams during his epic career, claimed that Fritz correctly has the belief he can break through at that level.
Bryan said: “He’s got a great coaching staff, and he’s really confident.
“He’s worked a lot on his movement, so he’s covering quite a lot of defence but he brings a lot of firepower.
“He thinks he’s the best, his head is very strong, he actually believes he can win Grand Slams.”
Most attention will focus on Fritz at the US Open, where he could be America’s main hope for success in the men’s singles competition.
However, before that, he is a part of a strong US team heading into the Olympic Games in Paris, with action held at Roland Garros.
Fritz is one of numerous players making their Olympic debut, joining the likes of Coco Gauff and Danielle Collins in becoming first-time Olympians.
And they will be able to lean on Bryan and twin brother Bob for advice throughout the Games, with the London 2012 gold medallists heading as part of the Team USA squad in a leadership capacity.
“It’s going to be fun to help the guys at the Olympics,” Bryan added.
“We obviously felt it was one of the biggest tournaments during our careers so just to see the excitement in all the guy’s faces when they are there – and a lot of the guys are there for the first time, so they are going to soak in the experience, which will hopefully drive them to try and make a run for a medal.
“Getting an Olympic medal transcends tennis and it’s really cool. We’re excited about it.”
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Taylor Fritz lambasted for ‘inappropriate’ Wimbledon behaviour in brutal verdict by former champion
Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash has criticised Taylor Fritz for his behaviour after his victory against Arthur Rinderknech at the All England Club.
The former world No 4 feels Fritz’s comments to Rinderknech were “inappropriate” and claimed the American “doesn’t have a lot of mates” on the tennis tour.
Fritz defeated Rinderknech 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the second round at Wimbledon, and a spicy post-match exchange followed the handshake at the net.
The contest was a grudge match after Fritz had shushed a hostile Parisian crowd to celebrate beating Rinderknech at the 2023 French Open.
Prior to the pair’s rematch at Wimbledon, Rinderknech said: “He (Fritz) won’t cry as much. He whined a bit saying it was too noisy. I hold no grudge against him, but he was wrong if he thought the crowd would send him kisses in between points.”
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Fritz had seen Rinderknech’s comments and used them as fuel, before telling the Frenchman to “have a nice flight home” following the match.
Cash, who won Wimbledon in 1987, slammed Fritz for taunting his opponent and argued this interaction will not improve the world No 12’s locker room popularity.
“Yeah that’s not cool, that’s not good,” the Australian told the BBC. “That’s not good, it’s inappropriate and he doesn’t have a lot of mates on this tour, does he?
“He doesn’t really care, he wants to get out there and does his stuff, he’s not overly friendly but he doesn’t care. You’re not going to get any more mates from saying ‘have a [nice] flight home’ though.”
Following his win over Rinderknech, Fritz divulged what he had said and made no secret of the fact his rival’s remarks had fired him up.
“Normally I don’t [get riled by comments], but it’s tough not to when, obviously, someone kind of, I guess, goes out of their way to take a jab at you,” the 26-year-old explained.
“It’s tough not to see it because everyone is just going to, like, tag me and make sure I see it. As soon as I saw it, the match was basically over.
“It just gives me extra fire, obviously. I’m a very chill person. I, like, don’t do anything that could rub people the wrong way, so when someone kind of just goes out of their way to take a shot at me, then I’m not just going to take it.
“It gave me the extra fire to win. When we shook hands, I just said, ‘Have a nice flight home’.
“He asked me what I said. I told him what I said. He told me he was in doubles still. I said, ‘Oh, congrats, good for you’. Then he started acting like, ‘Why are you, blah, blah, blah?’
“I’m like, ‘Dude, you know what you said. You know what you said. Don’t disrespect me before the match and then expect me to be all nice after the match’. That’s not how it works.”
Fritz was beaten by Lorenzo Musetti in five sets in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
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