Fritz Eyes BNP Paribas Glory Amid American Tennis Resurgence

INDIAN WELLS, California — Taylor Fritz, the World No. 4, is looking to reclaim the title at the BNP Paribas Open, the tournament that marked his career breakthrough three years ago.

Fritz’s victory at the 2022 BNP Paribas Open propelled him to a career-high ranking of No. 13, establishing him as the top-ranked American male player. “Winning this tournament is one of those crazy childhood dreams that you really think is never going to happen,” Fritz said, recalling the moment he triumphed over Rafael Nadal amidst tears of joy.

Since that victory, Fritz has solidified his status in the tennis world, reaching five Grand Slam quarterfinals and competing in the final of the US Open in September. He has also captured six additional ATP tour titles and recently earned an Olympic bronze medal in men’s doubles at the Paris Games.

As he returns to Indian Wells, Fritz, now 27, possesses an unwavering ambition. “Once I reach a new milestone, it becomes so much easier for me to start doing it again and again and again,” he said. “The year I had last year gives me a lot of confidence.” His goals extend beyond Grand Slams; he aims to secure more significant titles in 2025.

Fritz wasn’t the only American shining in tennis last year. American women have dominated recent tournaments, with Coco Gauff winning the 2023 US Open and Madison Keys capturing her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. With three American women currently ranked in the top 10 of the WTA rankings, Fritz acknowledges the need for American men to elevate their game. “Honestly, I think it’s going to take one of us winning a slam to really get that spike of young fans on the men’s side,” he said during a March 5 press conference.

The last time an American man won a Grand Slam title was in 2003, when Andy Roddick triumphed at the US Open.

Looking to break this drought, Fritz reflected on his setbacks earlier this season, including an early exit at the Australian Open. “I felt really confident entering the new season. The Australian Open loss doesn’t hurt me as much as I think some losses would because I felt like I played well in the match. I lost because my opponent played really well,” he explained.

Fritz’s compatriots are also inching closer to success. Ben Shelton reached the US Open semifinals in 2023 but lost to Novak Djokovic, and Tommy Paul made it to the Australian Open semifinals two years ago before falling to Djokovic again.

Despite the recent pressures, Fritz remains committed to improving. He embarks on his BNP Paribas Open campaign on Saturday, looking to better his performance from the previous year when he lost in the third round.

As Fritz prepares for this prestigious tournament, he remains optimistic about the future of American men’s tennis. “The women have been doing an incredible job of carrying U.S. tennis, but I think now the guys need to step it up and try to match that success,” he said.