"People mistake that for cockiness, but so what?" - Taylor Fritz defends Holger Rune's big ambitions for himself
Taylor Fritz has shed light on his relationship with one of his top rivals, Holger Rune, and expressed his thoughts on the young Dane's ambitions.
Tennis stars are inherently competitive and leave it all on the court when playing each other. But outside the court, they have good camaraderie, and the relationship between Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune is no different.
The American recently talked about Rune during a live stream on Twitch, stating that there are no negative feelings between the two. They have played doubles together in the past and share a cordial bond. Fritz went on to defend Rune against those questioning his lofty ambitions, which are misunderstood by many.
"Honestly, I like Holger. I have never had any issues with Holger. We have played doubles. Chill. I don't think there are any issues. I think he has big expectations and big ambitions and I think people mistake someone saying that they want to be the next Big 3 or I mean you do these great things," he opined.
Taylor Fritz went on to criticize those who call Holger Rune cocky for being candid about his goals. The 26-year-old believes that for anyone to be successful in their field, they must be self-confident and a bit arrogant.
"I think people mistake that for cockiness, but like so what? I don't think people understand that if you want to be successful in anything you need to actually believe it and you do need have some of that kind of arrogance and confidence in you. I'm cool with him, I got no problem," Fritz added.
Holger Rune has been the subject of controversies several times in his young career. From vocal outbursts on the court to arguments with rivals like Stan Wawrinka, the Dane has been criticized by many for his behavior.
In an interview with Tennis Major earlier this year, he addressed these controversies and perceptions about his image. Rune said his passion and competitiveness are misinterpreted, and he is actually "down to earth" and different when he is off the court.
“I would not say that I am cocky. I am very down to earth. On the court, I am different than outside the court. I just think it is because I am so passionate in what I do. I am very competitive. But when I am off the court, I’m not like this, I am not cocky," the 20-year-old said.
How many times have Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune played each other?
Taylor Fritz has faced Holger Rune once on the ATP Tour. Their sole meeting came at the 2023 Miami Open in March. The ninth seed Fritz overcame Emilio Nava and Denis Shapovalov to enter the fourth round. Meanwhile, the seventh Rune defeated Marton Fucsovics and Diego Schwartzman.
In the fourth round, Taylor Fritz easily overran Rune in straight sets 6-3, 6-4, in an 85-minute contest. Fritz eventually bowed out in the quarter-finals against Carlos Alcaraz.
Fritz and Rune have also played doubles at the 2023 Monte Carlo Masters. The unseeded pair defeated the Italian duo Simone Bolelli and Lorenzo Musetti in the opening round, 7-6 (5), 6-2, and No. 4 seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic in the second round, 6-3, 6-4. The pair withdrew in the next round against No. 5 seeds and eventual champions Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek.