"Hopefully the girls will get some wins" - Taylor Fritz excited to be 'carried' by likes of Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys at United Cup 2023
Taylor Fritz is excited to be part of the star-studded Team USA line-up at the inaugural United Cup in January and hopes the abundantly-talented women on his team can get the wins and carry him along. Fritz praised the American talent on the women's circuit and is thrilled to join them for the first time in the mixed-team competition.
Launching in 2023, the United Cup, a joint ATP-WTA event will see top men's and women's players from 18 countries compete in a group stage format followed by the semifinals and finals, aiming to win the title for their respective nations. The US team is set to feature American No. 1 Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Alycia Parks, and Desirae Krawczyk on the women's side, along with Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Denis Kudla, and Hunter Reese on the men's side.
Fritz expressed his anticipation for the tournament, stating that he hopes "his work will be minimal" as he teams up with some star players on the WTA circuit.
"The most exciting about the United Cup for me is potentially getting carried because we have really good girls from our country," Taylor Fritz said, in a video shared by the United Cup on Twitter.
"Hopefully, the girls will get some wins for us, and, you know, my work will be minimal," he added with a smile.
It's all about the teamwork 😉
See you in Sydney, Team USA 👋 🇺🇸
#UnitedCup https://t.co/wEwO76GJ40
The USA will play all their round-robin stage matches in Sydney and have been drawn to face Germany and the Czech Republic in the group stage. Fritz is excited to play in Sydney, where he beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in the USA's win over Canada in this year's ATP Cup, which has now been replaced by the United Cup.
"Sydney is an amazing city, definitely going to enjoy being there," Fritz said.
"Taylor Fritz is leading the American men right now" - Leading American sportswriter on Fritz's rise in 2022
While Taylor Fritz is currently leading the American men in the ATP rankings, he is also playing the role of a leader and setting the bar high for fellow players such as Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul, and others, believes leading sportswriter Chris Oddo.
The American writer lauded Fritz's rise this season, which saw him win three titles and clinch a year-end top-10 spot, and feels that the 25-year-old has given belief to his compatriots that they too can beat the best players at the biggest tournaments.
What I love about Taylor is that he's leading the American men right now and he's setting the bar higher for guys like Frances and Tommy Paul," Oddo said on the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast.
"I think all these guys in the 24, 25-year-old age range are realizing that it's possible for them and that the tectonic plates of tennis are shifting. There's going to be more opportunities at the top and they want to be a part of it, and they're believing that they can be a part of it, and it's all thanks to Taylor Fritz this year," he added.