US OPEN

August 28, 2026

Taylor Fritz

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You're one of the biggest servers on tour. Are there metrics you look at beyond aces and speed, things we see? Any stats you would like fans to be able to get a better handle on to understand what you're doing when you're serving?

TAYLOR FRITZ: I don't think speed really matters too much. I think, especially because, like, I'd say average speed, I think average speed is one of the worst stats, because my average speed would be way higher if I just served flat T on the deuce every serve. When I go wide, I purposely serve it way slower and I probably hit that serve more anyway, so my average speed is obviously going to be lower.

I think placement is probably the most important metric I think as long as the serve speed isn't, like, slow. Placement is probably the most important thing when it comes to serving. I think I saw a breakdown not so long ago, I think it said as far as, like, placement goes, I think it had Nakashima as the best spot server and then me as the second. I think that makes sense to me. I think Brandon has such an amazing serve.

Q. Roger Federer is getting into the Hall of Fame tomorrow. He was sitting here a few days ago talking about that it was a bit of a pity that he wasn't able to play against the next generation, Alcaraz and Sinner, et cetera. I wonder, do you think that the young, young players know how big he was and what kind of legacy he had four, five years after he retired now?

TAYLOR FRITZ: I would think so. It's hard for me to say, because I'm not in that age group really. I'm in the group that grew up with him, and he was still playing for a while when I started playing. It's tough to say, but I would imagine so.

Q. I remember a while back you gave an interview where you talked about how you wanted to help grow the sport of tennis, especially here in the States. We see now the US Open, you know, huge crowds, tons of fans, the sport is growing. What do you think of that progress from the first time you mentioned that to now, and do you think you can even go further?

TAYLOR FRITZ: I think it's been great just getting to see, like, I think there is more, like, buzz and excitement around the sport over the last couple of years, and it's not -- obviously I said I wanted to be a part and help. I wouldn't say it has much to do with what I'm doing but just what we've done as a collective.

I think men, women, the Americans, as well, we have so many people, and it's just becoming more fun and exciting, and the events are becoming more of a thing, I guess, to go to, even if you're not a tennis fan, which is what I was really after.

You know, I think it becoming more of a mainstream thing is just good for everybody.

Q. I think you in the past referred to yourself as a mixed doubles specialist, so I wanted to know what happened at this tournament and yet you weren't there for long.

TAYLOR FRITZ: Yeah, I feel like I am a bit of a mixed doubles, I have three Tie Break Tens titles, but disappointing. It was, I'll be the first to say between me and Jess, I apologized to Jess, it was definitely on me (smiling).

I mean, I can't go out and get my serve broken twice in the mixed doubles. That's really not okay (smiling).

I don't think I played that bad. It was just not the best serving performance, and that format of mixed doubles, you get broken, you kind of just lose the set. It happens so fast with the four games.

Yeah, it was on me.

Q. Next year?

TAYLOR FRITZ: I think that's pretty sad for me, I have two first-round exits here at the US Open mixed.

Q. You of course grew up with dreams to be on a big stage like this in the final. Looking back on that final, when you took the court that day against Jannik, was it everything you thought it was going to be? Were you more nervous than you thought you would be? What was it like when you walked out for that final?

TAYLOR FRITZ: It wasn't quite everything I thought it was going to be because I thought I was going to win.

Q. You pictured it differently.

TAYLOR FRITZ: I pictured it ending differently in my head.

Yeah, I think the moment of, like, because I've had my name called and walked out on court, and all the big courts, it doesn't normally feel like anything like I guess it's cool, but it doesn't feel like anything new.

But that day when I walked out, got called and walked out onto the court, yeah, that was like one of, like, the best memories I have. It was just such a cool feeling walking onto Ashe to play for the US Open title. Like, it is one of the coolest things ever.

No, I don't think I was really that much more nervous than I expected to be. I felt like obviously a little bit of nerves, but when you're that far into the tournament, you've played so many matches, there's a level of confidence to where you know that there's no reason to be that nervous, because I feel like I'm going to play pretty solid tennis.

Q. I don't know if you saw what Coco's mom posted about tickets.

TAYLOR FRITZ: I think I saw it.

Q. As tennis has gotten more popular in mainstream, have you fielded more ticket requests year over year, and is there any tournament that competes with the US Open in terms of people asking you if they can come watch?

TAYLOR FRITZ: I mean, at the big tournaments, for sure, it's a lot (smiling). Obviously they come, all the requests come through -- it's one of those things you wish you could have someone else do it for you, but ultimately, I'm going to be the one deciding who gets tickets. So it's something as a player you kind of have to deal with, which is annoying, because you've got other things going on.

Yeah, I think Wimbledon is a place where you get a lot of requests, too. I feel like I had a lot of people asking me. It's a bit tighter sometimes at Wimbledon, so it's not easy.

Yeah, I'm sure the requests will start rolling in over the next couple of days, so I have to be prepared to handle that.

Q. What is the average number of requests you get? Is there a normal range?

TAYLOR FRITZ: The thing is I have no clue how many people are asking my coaches, my agent, myself. Like, directly contacting me, I'm probably getting asked for, like, 40 or 50 tickets. But all, like -- well, because I have, like, probably, say at least 15 to 20 people will ask me, and ask for a couple -- you know, anywhere from two to six tickets. You know, I'll reply to the people that, like, should be asking me for tickets, and I won't reply to the people that should know better than that.

Q. Wanted your thoughts on what Carlos is trying to do here. I know you can't really speak of his injury and the difficulty he's had. But just in general, the idea of playing the US Open, a grueling best-of-five tournament, with no competitive tennis in four months. What's your take on that?

TAYLOR FRITZ: I think my take is probably going to surprise you, because it's, like, what else would he do? If he feels he's healthy enough to play, why not play? That's my opinion.

It's not necessarily easy to do it. But, you know, if you can get past those first couple of rounds, you start to feel pretty good. Like, you start to get in that match shape, and you have the confidence. Then at that point there's no reason why he couldn't, you know, find form and play really well. Who knows?

But I think if you feel healthy, might as well. What's the worst that can happen? You lose. Not playing the tournament is the same thing as essentially losing, as well, in my opinion.

Q. I see you took part in another racquet sport yesterday, pickleball. Do you see one day that sport having an ATP Tour for pickleball or networks covering it? Or is it just recreational...

TAYLOR FRITZ: I thought that was already happening, no?

Q. To a small degree but certainly not to the level this is.

TAYLOR FRITZ: Yeah, I mean, I'm not sure, to be honest. I'm not too, like, tapped into the pickleball scene. So I'm not really sure.

Q. You had fun yesterday, though?

TAYLOR FRITZ: Yeah, it was a fun event.