Taylor Fritz Exits French Open After First-Round Loss to Altmaier

ROLAND GARROS, PARIS — American men’s tennis player Taylor Fritz was knocked out of the French Open in the first round on May 26, 2025, after losing to Germany’s Daniel Altmaier in four sets. The final score was 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.

This marks Fritz’s earliest exit from the tournament since 2018, when he lost to Guido Andreozzi of Argentina. Altmaier, who is ranked No. 66 in the world, has struggled to reach the later rounds at Roland Garros but managed to handle the fourth-ranked Fritz with relative ease.

Fritz has dealt with an injury to his right oblique for several months but had assured reporters just two days before the match that he was “100 percent” healthy. He expressed confidence in his ability to perform well on the clay courts of Paris, despite his past struggles on the surface.

“Clay is my least favorite surface,” Fritz said in his post-match news conference, highlighting his longstanding criticism of the French Open’s tennis balls, which he called “super dead” and detrimental to his game. “My movement on court is really bad. I don’t know what’s going on,” he added with a smile after being questioned about his earlier declaration of being fit.

Fritz accumulated only 34 winners up against 41 unforced errors, including just eight winners from his forehand, one of his main strengths. Conversely, Altmaier recorded 46 winners and 37 unforced errors. “I think I’m playing generally fine,” Fritz said. “I am just playing horrendous tennis on a lot of the important points.”

Fritz’s defeat continues a challenging season; he has gone 17-9 in 2025 and lost in the fourth round at the Australian Open earlier this year. The American will now shift his focus to grass courts, where he feels more comfortable. He previously reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon twice.

After Fritz’s defeat, it opens up the draw for other competitors, which could favor fellow Americans like Frances Tiafoe and Jenson Brooksby, who both won their first-round matches.

Altmaier will face Czech player Vit Kopriva in the second round.