THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 8, 2025

Taylor Fritz

Press Conference

T. FRITZ/K. Khachanov

6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Taylor, through to the semifinals. You must be very pleased with your performance today.

TAYLOR FRITZ: Yeah, I'm super happy to get through. Really happy with how I rebounded after just an odd third set. Played a good tiebreaker to finish the match, and I thought the first two sets, the level was as good as it gets for me.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You've mentioned in the past that you like to speak technically about your game. What would you say you changed tactically after losing that third set and going down a break in the fourth?

TAYLOR FRITZ: Yeah, I'd say usually I do like to speak very technically, but in this situation, it was not so much. It was more like the first two sets everything was going in. The third set, everything that was going in stopped going in (smiling). Then in the fourth set, I started putting balls in the court again.

Q. What was going on with your foot, your feet? It's been going on for a while. What is the struggle with getting control of it?

TAYLOR FRITZ: There's nothing actually wrong with my feet. Like, I don't have blisters or anything like that. It's a pretty common tape job that a lot of players do, more so on like hard court when you're sliding a lot. I have it done on everything.

It's just like some pads that are under your feet because the skin gets really, like, irritated from moving and sliding in the shoes, just like moving aggressively.

A lot of players get it done. For whatever reason, two of the matches here I ripped the pad or ripped it. It just got moved from me moving during the match. So it gets uncomfortable once the tape comes loose in the shoe. So I'm just getting it retaped. That's basically all it is.

Q. You do that because you are prone to blisters?

TAYLOR FRITZ: It's not blisters. It's the skin almost rubbed raw from moving around in the shoe, from like the friction. It's pretty common. It's more of like a preventive thing. If I were to play a five-setter like at the Open where I'm sliding around the court a lot, if I wasn't taped up like this, the next day I wouldn't be able to move.

Q. You've talked before about being hard on yourself and having really exacting standards. Where are you with that now? Are you still like that, or are you a little bit kinder?

TAYLOR FRITZ: I'm still like that, for sure. I think it's good for me to -- it's good because it pushes me to improve and get better. I think that the first couple rounds I was super happy with how I played from the baseline. I thought I could actually serve all my spots and serve a bit better. I felt like the last two matches, I think I started to dial that in a bit more.

Yeah, I mean, the thing is when I'm playing matches, I try to kind of leave that on the practice court and just accept that whatever's going on in the match, like, that's what I have. I'm not going to get frustrated if certain things aren't working.

When it comes to practicing and training, I think being hard on myself and being real with myself of what's working in my game and what's not working, it's good for me to keep improving.

Q. You can play Carlos in the next round. If it is him, there was so much talk after the French Open final about how Sinner and Alcaraz are the next level and doing incredible things. How do you go out there with a little bit of experience in a slam semi stage thinking that you can win this match?

TAYLOR FRITZ: Well, if it's him, I'm happy. I'm happy that we're not playing at the French Open on clay with the French Open balls 'cause that would be an absolute nightmare (smiling).

Yeah, I think grass is very much so an equalizer. It can be an equalizer. So trust in how I'm playing. I truly know the way that I played the first two sets today, there's not much any opponent on the other side can do.

Q. I'm sure you've addressed this earlier this season, but having made a slam final at probably the most pressure-packed place an American could do that, what effect has that had on your career, if there was any, on your mentality?

TAYLOR FRITZ: Yeah, it's given me a lot of confidence in those moments and situations, just having been there, that I can do it again.

I've said this a couple times, but I feel like other years that I was in the quarterfinals here specifically, it felt like a really big deal for me. Going into the match today, I was much more calm and relaxed. It didn't feel like that, just having the experience of making some deep runs in some slams over the last couple of years.

I think the same goes for having that run at the US Open. It gives me a lot of confidence that I've been here before, and I've played the pressure matches. I don't think anything's going to get more stressful than me playing Frances in New York for a spot in the final (smiling).

Q. You spoke on court about how happy you are at getting your career back on track. How important is your girlfriend Morgan in helping you get your career on track?

TAYLOR FRITZ: Yeah, I mean, there's been a pretty constant, I guess, results and ranking rise since we've been together. I think I would have to say she's been a big help to me just kind of keeping me focused, having someone who cares and just pushes you to just do better and do the right things, be healthier. Almost like kind of just mother me in a way with, like, the diet and going to sleep on time (laughter).

But just having someone to push you in the right direction all the time, supporting you, it helps a lot. There's an obvious correlation between my results and ranking and the time we've been together.

Q. The electronic line calling had a moment earlier in the fourth set where it called a rogue forehand out. What were your thoughts on that? What are your thoughts on the whole electronic line calling?

TAYLOR FRITZ: It happens sometimes. In that situation it -- I think I lost the point anyways, but in that situation it helped me because I got a first serve out of it.

Yeah, I mean, there's going to be some issues here and there. To be honest, I still think it's much better to just have the electronic line calling calling the lines as opposed to the umpires because I do like the - I said it earlier in the week - I do like not having to think about challenging calls in the middle of points. I do like that we don't have to argue about calls and all this stuff. The ball gets called, and we know, and that's it. I think it's a better system.

Q. We think of you as primarily a hard court player, got to the final of the US Open. Given your grass results, do you actually think, relative to everybody else, grass is your best surface?

TAYLOR FRITZ: Yeah, I mean, I would say so. I've made obviously a semifinal now, two other quarterfinals at Wimbledon. I think it speaks a lot that half of my titles are on grass, given that grass is such a short part of the year compared to everything else.

Yeah, I mean, I think it would be dumb of me to say that grass isn't my best surface.

Q. What would you say you're most pleased by or proudest about your tournament so far? Separately, I wanted to ask whether you noticed anything on that walk through the hallway there that leads into the entrance to Court 1?

TAYLOR FRITZ: For the first part, I mean, the biggest thing that jumps out at me is I see the picture of Reilly from when he won juniors. Going into Court 1 I see that every time (smiling). Outside of that, no, I haven't been paying attention too much.

Second part is I've just been really proud with how I've been mentally all week. I was about as close to being out of the tournament in the first round as you can be. I was very close in the second round. I knew my draw was absolutely brutal from when I first saw it when I was still in Eastborne. I was like, Wow, this is really tough.

I'm just happy with how I mentally got through these matches and have gone through the tournament and how I've just kind of handled also the draw opening up in a way, just taking it one match at a time and staying in the moment.

Q. What do you consider to be the biggest differences between you now and the guy who the quarterfinals were an obstacle?

TAYLOR FRITZ: I would say a lot of it's experience, just having been in the moment several times. I've gotten to the point where it just doesn't feel like it's such a big deal. When you have that feeling, it allows you to just play your best tennis in the situation and the moment.

I also really do think I'm a much better tennis player than I was a year ago or even two years ago. I think right now I'm playing at a much higher level in tennis than I was.

Q. (Question about Taylor's comment about Morgan mothering him.)

TAYLOR FRITZ: Yeah, that maybe wasn't the best choice of words (smiling).