THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 2, 2025

Taylor Fritz

Press Conference

T. FRITZ/G. Diallo

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

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Your thoughts on the match. How do you feel you played today?

TAYLOR FRITZ: I thought I played really well. It was way more windy than I expected it to be when I came out. When I warmed up earlier, it was not windy. Took some adjusting to getting used to in the beginning. I felt like on the one side with the wind at my back, I felt like I couldn't really go after the ball. I felt like it was flying on me. I couldn't really control it.

I definitely felt like in the beginning of the match, the first set, he handled the conditions a lot better and was playing a lot better. I was struggling with the wind, I feel.

Yeah, I don't think it was the best. A little sloppy. Some mistakes in the first set for me. Then after that I think I played really well.

I mean, the second set found a break. Third set I believe he served 85% first serves. I was still able to win the set. I don't know what more I can really ask for.

Fourth set I gave myself lots of chances to find a break. Wasn't able to do it. I felt like the game that he broke me, he played a very good game. Not really that much I could do.

Played a very solid fifth set. I'm really happy with my level. I think that he's a really good player. I think he played well. I think that's just an absolutely brutal second-round match to face.

Q. Given how you won a title, come here, one day off, and play threes days in a row, you only had 16 unforced errors in a five-setter.

TAYLOR FRITZ: Today?

Q. 16 in five sets.

TAYLOR FRITZ: What did I do the other day?

Q. Even less.

TAYLOR FRITZ: Less?

Q. I'm just wondering, because the task at hand was difficult... Giovanni, then Gabriel, the back-to-back, all of that... does that in a way make you really help you with focus because you don't have time to think about anything else?

TAYLOR FRITZ: Yeah, I have always said the most important thing for me in feeling like I'm going to play good tennis is just playing a lot and winning a lot. I think that's why I really like to go play Eastbourne. I'm all for taking a week off before slams. I like to do it in Australia. I like to do it at US Open. It's good to get that training week in.

But, I mean, I cannot ever win a match in Queen's. I kind of need to play Eastbourne to feel like I have some confidence going into this tournament.

I'd much rather take that confidence than having, like, a week of training. I feel very dialed in. I feel like I'm hitting the ball great, playing really good tennis. I think that's a big part for why I've been able to, I guess, deliver pretty good tennis in the first two rounds and why I've had good years at Wimbledon in the past years where I've won Eastbourne.

Q. 15 first round, 16 second round unforced errors across ten sets is pretty good.

TAYLOR FRITZ: Maybe whoever's counting the stats, they might be generous, I don't know (smiling).

I mean, I'm happy with that. I'm playing two guys that are very big servers. I'm definitely trying to be aggressive while still not giving them anything for free, so...

Q. A lot of other seeds have already gone out. How are you feeling about your prospects?

TAYLOR FRITZ: I mean, I feel really good about my level. I still have to wait and see who I'm playing. I haven't looked too far ahead in the draw. I saw what my first two rounds were looking like when I was still in Eastbourne.

Funny story. I didn't want to look at the draw. Then I got a text from booking, the practice booking, that my coach booked me practice with Reilly. So I instantly knew who I was playing like. I knew I could play only one of three people basically. That's how I found out the draw.

I didn't look much further because I knew this was absolutely brutal. I think probably I would say the two unseeded guys that you don't really want to see. With all the seeds losing, maybe it opens some somewhere the line on my draw. Like I said, I haven't really looked, but I'm playing good tennis.

Q. After 10 sets, do you kick your feet up tomorrow? How is tomorrow going to be different than had you played a couple of three-setters so far?

TAYLOR FRITZ: I mean, I think it will be a light practice, for sure. I'm going to sleep in late, have a practice around, I don't know, like 2 or 3. Probably won't hit more than 30 minutes, I think.

Hitting-wise, there's no need really. I think the biggest thing is I'm going to have to work on some returns because... I mean, I guess it depends. I don't know who I play yet.

If I play Fokina, I need to work on some returns because it's going to be coming in a lot differently than the two guys I just played. I've been chipping returns against these guys. I might need to practice hitting over some.

Q. When it was 9:53 p.m. and going into five, was there a risk they were going to come talk to you?

TAYLOR FRITZ: No, I would have lost my mind if they tried to get us at, like, 9:50. There was plenty of time. I would have absolutely lost it because then I would have had to play again and then again. I need a day off at some point.

Q. One of your next opponents has a match point, and it's suspended.

TAYLOR FRITZ: I thought they suspended at 5-All.

Q. He had a match point.

TAYLOR FRITZ: Oh, he had a match point. I thought they suspended at even scores. Fokina had a match point, okay.

Q. Returning two of the biggest servers in the game, what is that like? How does that work for you?

TAYLOR FRITZ: Look, I have an extremely western grip on my forehand. On the ad side, hypothetically, I probably could stand back and return more normally. On the deuce side, if someone can get a cutter, like a slice off the court away, it's pretty tough for me to hit the ball back in that direction with my grip. It is very tough to do. You see other players with my grip struggle with the same thing.

I think there's just too much court to cover with these guys. I'd rather stand in, cut the angle off on the slider. I can chip it. I can use their pace. I don't have to swing at all. I just have to stick my racquet out and be firm with it.

I'm holding a backhand grip, as well. Most people, when they miss their spot on the serve, they're more likely to miss their spot on a flat serve. If they miss their spot on a flat serve, then I don't need to switch my grip or anything. I'm holding a slice forehand and a backhand grip.

It's just reflexes and handsing it. That's what I'm good at is if I don't need to change grips or anything being handsy with it, reflexing, putting my racquet out.

I feel like I can cover a lot more with the chip forehand and put a lot of returns in play when I get my racquet on it. I feel like it's really threatening if they serve it in my reach on my backhand side as well.

I feel like the serves that are going to beat me are the ones that are really well-hit spots. The way I look at it, if I standing back, I'm not going to return those ones either. That's kind of my philosophy on it.

I also think if you're going to chip, you should be as close as possible to use the pace. I think when people are chipping from five feet behind the baseline, it makes no sense. You are giving your opponent so much time to set up for the next ball. You have to actually swing as well when you chip because the ball loses so much speed when the ball gets to you.

It's just something I've found I have success with from big servers for a couple years now.

Q. What is the upside with Diallo?

TAYLOR FRITZ: Yeah, I mean, he's a very good player. I practiced with him. He was in Carson training like last year. I practiced with him a bit. I was really impressed with the fact that he's such a tall, big server. A lot of times these big servers, really tall guys, when they serve their slider serves they hit them pretty hard and big. He does a great job of getting that cutter, like, short and really cutting it away. It's amazing. He can spread the court with his serve really well.

I thought he mixed up his serve really well today, which is one of the key things when you're such a big server. People are going to be leaning and picking sides. You can kind of hit all the spots. He played some very good return games as well. I think he doesn't really have a weakness.

I think at times he can be streaky and make some mistakes. I didn't feel like mistakes were coming from one side more than the other. I felt his backhand and forehand were really solid shots. As I said, he had some good return games, and his serve is incredible. I think he's a very good player.