Frustrated Fritz reflects on ATP Finals exit after “worst match of the week”
A runner-up at the 2024 ATP Finals, Taylor Fritz exited the 2025 edition in the first round – far from his expected level and outcome.
Taylor Fritz, ATP Finals 2025 | ©
Taylor Fritz didn’t hide his frustration after bowing out in the round-robin stage of the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, suffering a 7-6, 6-3 defeat to Alex de Minaur that ended his hopes of returning to the semifinals for a second straight year. The 28-year-old American, who was runner-up at last year’s edition, admitted this loss hurt more than most.
“I think today was probably the match that I’m not super happy about,” Fritz said candidly. “I played really well the first two matches. I thought I was doing a lot of things better than I had been this year. But today… yeah, this one stings.”
Fritz opened his week with an impressive win over world No. 9 Lorenzo Musetti, followed by a tight three-set loss to Carlos Alcaraz in a high-quality encounter that left his semifinal hopes alive heading into Thursday. But against de Minaur, those hopes faded as the American struggled to find rhythm from the baseline and on serve (59% of 1st serves in, 66% of points won on them).
The Australian broke early in the second set and never let go, sealing Fritz’s elimination and closing the American’s season on a frustrating note.
“He’s Never Been My Favorite Person to Play”
De Minaur, now leading their head-to-head 6-5, remains a tricky opponent for Fritz – one whose flat, skidding groundstrokes often neutralize the American’s power. Fritz explained that it’s not just the Australian’s speed that makes him difficult to handle.
“He moves so well, but he doesn’t play very defensive against me,” Fritz said. “I watch him play other matches and he’s willing to rally more. Against me, he plays very offensive. His ball stays really flat and low, and it can be tough to attack that if I’m not feeling great with my forehand.”
That forehand, one of the biggest in the game, never quite clicked. “A lot of times I’ve beaten him, I’ve felt good attacking. When I’ve lost, it’s because I couldn’t hit through that low ball well enough,” Fritz added. “He was just picking sides on my serve, guessing right, and crushing returns. It made it tough.”
No Excuses from Fritz: “The Knee Wasn’t the Problem”
Fritz has been managing a nagging knee issue for much of the second half of the season, but he refused to use it as a reason for his subdued performance. “It wouldn’t be fair to use it as much of an excuse for today,” he said. “It wasn’t that bad. The plan now is to take some time off, do the proper rehab, and finally have an offseason where I can actually train.”
Even with the frustration of an early exit, Fritz finishes the season inside the world’s Top 10 for the fourth consecutive year — a testament to his consistency. But for a player who came within a match of the ATP Finals crown last year, settling for “solid” isn’t enough. “I expect a lot from myself,” he said. “That’s why this one hurts.”
