Taylor Fritz could only watch as Team USA fell short of reaching the Davis Cup semi-finals. The American No. 1 delivered a clinical performance, defeating Alex de Minaur for the second time in a week.
Fritz kept USA’s hopes alive after Ben Shelton suffered a surprising loss to Thanasi Kokkinakis in the opening match. The world No. 4 secured a commanding 6-3, 6-4 victory over De Minaur in just 71 minutes. Despite his efforts, the USA ultimately lost the deciding doubles match, ending their campaign.
Fritz’s victory was not without personal significance, as he achieved two milestones during the week. He became the first American man to reach the ATP Finals since James Blake in 2006 and climbed to a career-high world ranking of No. 4, the first American in the top four since Andy Roddick 17 years ago.
Against De Minaur, Fritz recorded his 200th career win on hard courts, becoming one of only four players born in 1997 or later to reach this milestone, alongside Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas. He is also the first American male born in the 1990s to hit this mark.
The Davis Cup quarterfinal between the USA and Australia came down to two critical decisions, with one gamble succeeding and the other failing. Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt made a bold move by fielding Kokkinakis instead of Alexei Popyrin, a decision that paid off as Kokkinakis stunned Shelton to give Australia an early lead.
After Fritz leveled the tie, the focus shifted to the doubles decider. Initially, it appeared the USA would rely on their seasoned duo of Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek, the Olympic runners-up, to face Australia’s Matt Ebden and Jordan Thompson. However, USA captain Bob Bryan made a surprise decision, replacing Ram and Krajicek with Tommy Paul and Shelton.
The gamble backfired, with Paul and Shelton losing 6-4, 6-4, handing Australia the victory and a place in the semi-finals. While Hewitt’s risk paid off, Bryan’s lineup change left the Americans to reflect on a missed opportunity.
For Fritz, despite the disappointment, his personal achievements mark a significant breakthrough in American tennis, showcasing his growing stature on the global stage.
