Fritz wins, but expresses dissatisfaction with the tracks: "It's a pretty ugly combination"

Óscar Belloch | 6 Aug 2025 | 10.50

Taylor Fritz at the ATP Toronto 2025. Photo: Getty

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Born in 1997, Taylor Fritz, at 27 years old, is one of the leading figures among tennis players born in the late 90s. Perhaps ten years ago, he was not destined to be one of these prominent players, and his name was not among the most relevant, but there he is. The Californian has shown in recent seasons that his success in the rankings is no coincidence and that he is a strong contender to beat anyone, as his consistency confirms. In ATP Toronto 2025, he has already reached the semifinals after a very serious victory over Andrey Rublev with a score of 6-3, 7-6 in just 83 minutes of play.

The great year for Taylor Fritz continues on the North American hard court tour, and the Californian aims to seize the opportunity to eventually claim the title at ATP Toronto 2025. He already knows what it is to reach a US Open final and probably wants to match that result or even secure titles in this part of the season, which suits him perfectly. The next challenge is Ben Shelton, who is also hungry for titles and to be the top American player. Their meeting promises to be tough as both players have a distinct American style. Fritz spoke at a press conference after his win against Rublev, expressing dissatisfaction with the playing conditions.

- His level of play

"I feel like everything is working with my serve, it's all flowing. In the last two matches, I've felt some pressure, but it helps me, and I'm fine because I get many free points in these games. Today, I felt the best of my game, I tried to hit the ball very hard and serve well. Everything is clicking, and I have it under control, but I also notice that players are making more mistakes because they are trying to hit hard, and the conditions are not favorable. Nevertheless, I'm very confident."

- Pressure to win a Grand Slam

In the 90s, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi dominated the men's circuit. Additionally, Andy Roddick won the last Grand Slam for an American player in 2003. Fritz does not feel pressured to end over 20 years of drought: "I don't think I have an extra responsibility for being in good form for so long and being American. I also don't think I'm a top candidate to win it, I just feel the pressure I put on myself. I'm a competitor, and I've devoted my whole life to tennis, that's why I want to win a Grand Slam."

- 'Unplayable' conditions, according to Rublev

Rublev criticized the playing conditions, with Fritz adding that he doesn't feel entirely comfortable either: "It's a combination of the court and the balls. I believe if we played with Dunlop, it would feel better because the ball comes out slower, giving us more control. This combination of conditions is pretty awful because sometimes you make senseless errors due to the difficulty in making contact with the ball. Today was fine, but this week, I've had matches where some balls were going several meters out. These balls aren't bad, but it's very challenging to play when you combine them with such a fast court."

- Rest between matches

"The key is to be mentally prepared for the matches, and it's crucial to have a day of rest between them so you can give your all on the court without the pressure of possibly playing the next day. On the rest day, you train, and everything feels lighter as it's like a recovery session, not an intense preparation one. When you reach the final rounds, yes, you'll play every day, but that's normal. I am mentally prepared, and that's what matters. Physically, today was a good match and not a three-hour one, so I'll feel good in all aspects tomorrow."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Fritz gana, pero se muestra descontento con las pistas: "Es una combinación bastante fea"