Fritz Eyes Redemption at Indian Wells Amidst Injury Struggles

INDIAN WELLS, California — Taylor Fritz, currently ranked third in the world, is looking to turn his season around at the Indian Wells Masters later this month after a rocky start in 2025. Fritz, a California native, suffered an early exit in the third round at the Australian Open and lost in the round of 16 at the Dallas Open, followed by a quarter-final finish at the Delray Beach Open.

Despite his setbacks, former professional tennis player believes Fritz can make a significant impact at Indian Wells, suggesting he has benefited from taking time off to recuperate from a stomach issue that affected his performance earlier this season. “He had a bit of a stomach issue, some type of minor injury,” the source mentioned on the Nothing Major podcast. “But kudos to him to take a break. He wants to win Indian Wells, and he can’t do that at 80%.”

Fritz did skip late tournaments to facilitate his recovery, a move he likely would not have considered in the past. The former pro noted, “He is maturing; normally five years ago he would have just played until his body broke in half.” With two Masters series events in the States approaching, there’s optimism surrounding Fritz’s chances of heading into Indian Wells prepared and healthy.

At the 2025 Indian Wells, Fritz holds a favorable position as the third seed behind Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev. He is expected to face either Sebastian Baez or a qualifier in the second round. Fans of American tennis are eager for a home victor after Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek’s recent dominance at the tournament.

In addition to compounding optimism about his performance at Indian Wells, Fritz made headlines with his partner, Elena Rybakina. The duo recently captured a $200,000 prize at the Eisenhower Cup in Indian Wells, a charity exhibition event. They secured victories against notable players Daniil Medvedev and Amanda Anisimova before overpowering defending champions Emma Navarro and Ben Shelton in the finals.

“It’s really special. I’m glad I was lucky to play here,” Rybakina said post-match. “Super happy to be a winner.” Fritz echoed her sentiments, saying, “It was super exciting to play with Elena. She played great.”

The partnership has sparked speculation about their potential entry into the mixed doubles competition at the US Open later this year. Rybakina and Fritz have indicated interest in teaming up again, which would add excitement to the tournament’s new two-day format.

“I just asked her if she wants to play mixed at the US Open, so let’s see,” Fritz said. As both athletes focus on their upcoming matches, fans remain hopeful they will join forces on the Grand Slam stage.