"I've never received on-court coaching in my life, never received a penalty, never received a warning" - Taylor Fritz promises to hold out against on-court coaching despite new rules
Taylor Fritz comes into his home Slam in good form, sitting on a career-high ranking of No. 12 — the highest for any men's singles player from the US.
The American has also played some solid tennis in the lead-up, reaching the last-eight in Cincinnati recently. The tournament also saw Fritz come forward with strong opinions about on-court coaching, a conversation that has seemingly trailed him all the way to New York.
During his pre-tournament press conference at the 2022 US Open, Fritz was once again asked about his views on players receiving on-court coaching. Reitirating his views from before, the American declared that he "hated" it.
Saying that tennis, for him, is an individual sport that should not allow someone from the outside to help you, Fritz said that coaching being allowed undermines the mental and strategic aspects of the sport.
"People know what I think about it. I really hate it," Taylor Fritz said. "It's not something that should be a part of our sport. I feel like the rules got changed, or we're doing this trial phase. I feel like the tour was almost, like, bullied into it. A lot of people are doing it anyways. People who are coaching anyways. We're going to allow it and see what happens."
"I don't like it," he continued. "Tennis is an individual sport, so why should someone else be able to help you? I think people underestimate how mental and strategic the sport is, so they don't understand how big of a difference it is."
Taylor Fritz about coaching https://t.co/FOoRKwD7yI
On being asked about most players falling back to on-court coaching in times of need, Fritz said he, for one, has never sought help or guidance from his bench during a match. He went on to say that there was a difference between "encouragement" and "on-court coaching" and that only the latter was unacceptable to him as a player.
"I've never received on-court coaching in my life," Taylor Fritz said. "I mean, if you want to call on-court coaching, like, Be aggressive, great job, keep doing... That's not on-court coaching. There's encouragement and there's on-court coaching."
"I've never in my life received a penalty for getting coached on the court," he pointed out. "Never received a warning ever. Even now that the coaching is in effect, I don't go talk to my coach. If he's ever saying anything to me, like, I don't hear it. I think that's the argument that the people that are in favor of it use. Oh, everyone is doing it anyways."
"Doesn't feel like that long ago, that's why it's so crazy" - Taylor Fritz recalls junior US Open triumph
During the press conference, Taylor Fritz was also reminded of his triumph at home — albeit as a junior. Aged 17, the Ameircan had lifted the boys' singles title at Flushing Meadows seven years ago after beating countryman Tommy Paul in the final.
Taylor Fritz
>Tour got bullied into coaching rule change
>Outside perspective can make big diff
>Can have microphone in player boxes & officials hearing on to come harder on coaching violation
>Not every1 uses on-court coaching😈 https://t.co/v7krAqdWbM
Recalling the win, Fritz said it was crazy as he could not believe that so much time had passed since he became the junior champion.
"Wow, I'm old. Getting old," Taylor Fritz said. "Doesn't feel like that long ago, that's why it's so crazy. It's a crazy thing I'm 24 now. I'm going to be 25 this year. I turned pro right before I won the juniors. I'm about halfway through my career, which is just crazy."
Fritz will open his 2022 US Open campaign against qualifier and compatriot Brandon Holt. He has landed in the top half of the draw and could most notably face Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals.