Rennae Stubbs, the former coach of tennis legend Serena Williams, recently shared her insights on what Taylor Fritz needs to focus on to elevate his game and win a Grand Slam title. Stubbs’ remarks came after Fritz’s defeat to Jannik Sinner during the 2024 ATP Finals in Turin. Although Fritz started the tournament with an impressive 6-4, 6-3 victory over Daniil Medvedev, he was unable to maintain that level of performance, succumbing 6-4, 6-4 to World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. This defeat was a setback for Fritz’s hopes of advancing to the semifinals of the prestigious event.
Stubbs took to social media to highlight what she sees as a key deficiency in the American’s game: his reluctance to approach the net and execute volleys effectively. According to Stubbs, this limitation is holding Fritz back from achieving his potential and competing successfully against top-tier players like Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who both excel in net play. “Taylor Fritz’s inability to come forward and volley is costing him against players like Sinner. I really believe Taylor is good enough to win a major if he improves that area of his game. Sinner is so much better at the net, as is Carlos. This to me is the only thing stopping him from getting those wins,” Stubbs wrote on Threads.
Her remarks come at a critical time for Fritz, who has been striving to break into the sport’s elite circle by achieving consistent success at major tournaments. Despite his strong baseline game, powerful serve, and solid groundstrokes, Stubbs believes that adding more aggressive net play to his repertoire is essential. Net play is an area where Fritz’s rivals, such as Sinner and Alcaraz, have demonstrated superiority, giving them a crucial edge during matches, particularly in key moments.
The focus now shifts to Fritz’s upcoming must-win encounter against Alex de Minaur. The Australian player presents a significant challenge, given that he leads their head-to-head series 5-3 and won their most recent meeting 6-4, 6-2 at the 2024 United Cup. Fritz will need to overcome not just De Minaur’s solid baseline game but also his ability to cover the court with exceptional speed and agility.
Despite the setback against Sinner, Fritz remained optimistic and took positives from the high level of their contest. During his post-match press conference, the 27-year-old reflected on the intense battle and commended Sinner’s play in crucial moments. “Yeah, I mean, I think it was a really high-level match from both sides. I felt like I played really well. I felt like he played well. I think there’s a lot of positives I can take out of it. He didn’t give me much,” Fritz said. “I feel like a lot of the points that I was winning and chances I was creating were off of me playing very good tennis.”
The American acknowledged that their match was evenly contested for large stretches, but Sinner’s ability to elevate his game during critical junctures ultimately made the difference. “I felt like we were going back and forth. It was pretty even for a lot of the match. But he played a lot of those 15-30, 30-All points just a bit better,” Fritz admitted.
Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner continues to impress in the ATP Finals, aiming to add the year-end championship title to his already impressive 2024 resume. He will face Daniil Medvedev in his final round-robin match, with the head-to-head record between the two players currently tied at 7-7. However, Sinner has enjoyed a strong run of form against Medvedev, having triumphed in seven of their last eight encounters.
For Fritz, advancing out of the group stage depends not only on his performance against De Minaur but also on Sinner’s match against Medvedev. Should Sinner maintain his dominance over the Russian, Fritz’s chances of making the semifinals would improve significantly, provided he secures a victory against De Minaur.
Fritz’s journey reflects the challenges faced by many talented players seeking to bridge the gap between solid tournament performances and consistent success at the highest levels of the sport. His powerful baseline play and resilience have brought him to the cusp of major breakthroughs, but as Stubbs points out, refining aspects of his game, such as net play, could be the key to unlocking his true potential. In a sport where small margins often decide outcomes, mastering the ability to approach and dominate at the net could be the difference-maker for Fritz in his pursuit of a Grand Slam title.
As Fritz prepares for his crucial match, tennis enthusiasts and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if he can rise to the occasion and incorporate the necessary adjustments that could help him reach the next level. With the support of his team and insights from experienced figures like Stubbs, Fritz has the opportunity to further evolve his game and establish himself as a genuine contender in men’s tennis. Whether or not he seizes that opportunity remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the talent is there; it’s now about refining the tools to unlock the ultimate prize.