Fritz withdraws at the last minute in Eastbourne and Djokovic overtakes him in the ATP ranking

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Taylor Fritz waited until the last moment to announce his withdrawal from ATP Eastbourne 2026, where he was defending the title he won in 2025. After playing consecutively in Stuttgart and Halle, the American tennis player has decided to preserve his physical condition to arrive in full form at Wimbledon 2026, as he defends last year's semifinals.

Fritz has issued a statement on his social media explaining this last-minute decision:

Unfortunately, I have to withdraw from Eastbourne this year. I waited until after warm-up to make the decision today because I really wanted to play. This is never an easy decision for me, especially when it comes to a tournament that means so much to me. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate withdrawing from events. Eastbourne has given me some of my best memories on the court, and the support I have received from fans over the years has been incredible. That's what makes this so difficult, but with Wimbledon around the corner, I have to make the decision that gives me the best chance to be at 100% and ready to compete at the highest level. While I know it's the right decision, it is still disappointing. I am very sorry to the fans, the tournament, and everyone who was looking forward to seeing me play. Thank you to Eastbourne for always making me feel so welcome, and I hope to return to these courts soon.

Djokovic, the big beneficiary of Fritz's withdrawal

The one who comes out best from this last-minute news is Novak Djokovic, who had dropped to the 8th position in the ATP rankings due to the American player. However, Taylor will lose 250 points, so Nole will return to the 7th position. However, this ranking update will take place from next Monday, so it will not have a direct impact on Wimbledon 2026, as it starts on the weekend. Therefore, Djokovic will remain the 7th seed, and Fritz the 6th.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Fritz se baja de última hora en Eastbourne y Djokovic le adelanta en el ránking ATP