"Of course the nepo dudebro supports the move to make tennis even more elitist" - Fans slam Taylor Fritz for backing the idea of a 'premium tour'
Taylor Fritz has come out in support of a proposal to create a new elite tour for top ATP players. The proposal seeks to combine all the Grand Slams, 10 Masters events, and the ATP Finals, while excluding other tournaments.
Fritz is the highest-ranked American on the ATP Tour and is currently ranked World No. 10. He believes having a tour format focusing on just 14 tournaments would help fans follow the sport more and also give players adequate preparation time.
“It’s a really good idea, and I think that we should have separate tours. You can have 14 marquee events, and it makes tennis easy to follow for fans because all you have to pay attention to is those tournaments. There’s no people getting tons of points in between events, at like 250s and 500s and more than anything, there’s no crazy schedule for us players," Fritz was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Taylor Fritz further advocated for these big events to have a bigger draw to accommodate all the players in the top 100 of the ATP Rankings.
“If you’re on the main, top tour, you should be set to play all the big events, and they should all be slightly bigger-draw events to get basically everybody in the top 100 in, and I think that’s honestly all we should play," he added.
However, the American's endorsement of the elite tour proposal did not sit well with several tennis fans. Many took to social media to call out Fritz, saying he would not say these things if he were not among the top-ranked players. Others claimed that his comments don't mean much given that he has played 26 tournaments and exhibition events in 2023.
"Well, ofc the nepo dudebro supports the move to make tennis even more elitist.. also benefits him greatly that the majority of the 'big' events are already held in his country & run by the USTA and/or his agency and/or his sponsors," a fan wrote.
"Taylor, shut the hell up and focus on trying to be the first American slam champion in 20+ years since Roddick. American tennis has been embarrassing for far too long," another said.
"Bro saying this as if he's winning masters 1000 and GS back to back," a fan posted on X.
"He won't say that in 2 years when he is on the outside looking in," read another fan comment.
Here are some more reactions to Taylor Fritz's comments on the elite tour proposal:
Taylor Fritz won two ATP titles in the 2023 season
Taylor Fritz began 2023 by guiding Team USA to victory at the inaugural edition of the United Cup. This was followed, however, by a second-round exit at the Australian Open.
Fritz went on to clinch his fifth title on the ATP Tour at the Delray Beach Open, where he bettered Miomir Kecmanovic 6-0, 5-7, 6-2 in the final. The 26-year-old claimed his best-ever ranking of World No. 5 after winning the ATP 250 tournament.
His next big performances came at the Indian Wells Open and Miami Open, at both of which he reached the quarterfinals. Fritz also played in the semifinals at the Monte Carlo Masters.
The American's form dipped after Monte Carlo as he exited the French Open and Wimbledon Championships in the early stages. He then returned to the US for the American hardcourt swing and picked up his second title of the year at the Atlanta Open. Fritz defeated Aleksander Vukic in the final, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-4.
The American ended the year with a win-loss record of 54-23 and ranked World No. 10.