Taylor Fritz, the world No. 4 and America’s top-ranked men’s tennis player, found himself in the spotlight for more than his on-court prowess at the 2025 ESPY Awards in Los Angeles. A seemingly innocuous street interview turned into a viral sensation, leaving the 27-year-old California native both amused and regretful. During a press conference at the Citi DC Open in Washington, Fritz reflected on the incident, admitting, “I shouldn’t have said yes to doing that,” as he recounted how a social media influencer caught him off guard with a deceptively simple math question after a night of celebration.
The ESPYs, ESPN’s annual celebration of athletic achievement, brought together sports luminaries like Fritz, who was fresh off a stellar grass-court season that included two titles and a Wimbledon semifinal run. As he left the Dolby Theatre’s after-party, Fritz was approached by a social media personality known as AlfredoPastaDon on Instagram. Slightly inebriated and in high spirits, Fritz agreed to a quick interview, expecting lighthearted questions about his season or his signature Naruto-inspired pendant, a nod to his love for anime. Instead, the interviewer posed a math problem: “What’s the total amount of 50 $20 bills?” Caught off guard, Fritz stumbled, muttering, “Let me think for a second. Uh, every five is a hundred, so… I’ve been drinking too much tonight.” His hesitation and candid admission sparked laughter, and the clip, posted to Instagram, quickly went viral, amassing thousands of views and comments, including a playful jab from fellow American player Ben Shelton, who wrote, “Ain’t no way.”
At the Citi DC Open, where Fritz was competing after a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Aleksandar Vukic, he addressed the incident with a mix of humor and mild frustration. “I knew it was one of those,” he said, referring to the street interviews notorious for setting up celebrities for embarrassing moments. Despite his initial embarrassment, Fritz was relieved at how he came across in the video. “I’m actually pretty happy with how it turned out, because when I did the interview, in my head, I thought that I was, like, going to sound super drunk. But I actually sounded very coherent, like normal. I don’t think you’d ever tell from watching the video,” he shared. His ability to laugh off the moment reflects the laid-back confidence that has defined his rise to the ATP’s elite, where he’s now a consistent top-10 contender with 10 career titles, including the 2022 Indian Wells Masters.
The incident wasn’t Fritz’s first brush with media misrepresentation. Earlier in 2025, he called out the ATP over a prank video from the Madrid Open, where a faux tour guide bombarded players with bizarre trivia. Fritz felt the editing portrayed him as uncooperative, cutting out moments where he was polite. “All the times I was really nice to the person, they just cut that out, and then just put all the parts in where I was being, ‘Hey, I’m kind of being upset,’” he said, expressing frustration with “gotcha-style” content. These experiences have made Fritz wary of impromptu interviews, especially in the social media age where clips can be manipulated to go viral. “I know those street interviews are such a setup too,” he noted, acknowledging the calculated nature of such moments.
Fritz’s ESPYs appearance wasn’t just about the viral blunder. He was there to celebrate a career year, having reached the 2024 US Open final—where he fell to Jannik Sinner—and the ATP Finals final, cementing his status as the No. 1 American men’s player. Off the court, Fritz’s charisma and interests, from gaming to anime, have made him a relatable figure. His girlfriend, Morgan Riddle, has also played a role in boosting tennis’s appeal to younger audiences, with her viral TikToks and appearances in Netflix’s *Break Point*. Despite the ESPYs mishap, Fritz’s focus remains on his game, with the North American hard-court swing offering chances to add to his trophy cabinet. As he navigates fame, media traps, and the pressures of being America’s tennis hope, Fritz’s self-awareness and humor keep him grounded, even when a simple math question nearly trips him up.
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