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Wimbledon glory remains a distant dream for American men, with the last star-spangled triumph dating back to Pete Sampras in 2000. But Taylor Fritz, the top-seeded American, is determined to change that narrative. After powering into his third Wimbledon quarterfinal, the Californian is making waves not just with his game, but with his mind. Fellow countryman Ben Shelton recently praised him, saying, “He’s not getting coached as much during the match. He’s just talking through and making adjustments, and telling them what’s going on. I think he has a great tennis mind.” That sharp mind was on full display off the court, too, as coach Paul Annacone joined in the fun, joking about Fritz’s fierce debating skills and the hardship of coaching the American.

Just moments after his commanding win over Aussie Jordan Thompson, Taylor Fritz joined his coach, Paul Annacone, former mentor to Roger Federer, on the Tennis Channel desk for a light-hearted yet insightful post-match banter. With the glow of victory still fresh, the conversation quickly shifted gears from tactics to team dynamics. 

Annacone, never one to shy away from honesty laced with humor, pulled back the curtain on what it’s really like to coach one of the sharpest minds on the tour. “The only thing that’s really challenging is that my debate skills aren’t that strong. I don’t win the debates nearly as much as I would like, but that’s okay because that’s another reason why he’s top five in the world,” he said with a laugh.

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Fritz, grinning and ready to defend his side, jumped in with a bit of clarification. “I can explain, though. When we’re on the practice court, I think a lot of times it’s taken as—and I mean by now you know this—as I’m arguing, but it’s more I want to say what I was thinking in the moment for whatever like shot I hit or why we might disagree on something.” That raw honesty continued as Fritz added, “I want to say what I was thinking, so then you can understand why I did what I did, and then you can tell me why I’m wrong. And then I might say, ‘Well, I don’t—I’m not sure.’”

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Annacone, with a knowing smile, made it clear that he wouldn’t have it any other way. “I don’t want a yes player to do this cuz I said so. I raised my kids already. I used that line already—‘Do this cuz I’m your dad, cuz I said so,’” he quipped. “I like the fact that Taylor’s always trying to get better.”

He also gave a nod to fellow coach Michael Russell, saying, “Michael and I consistently have to be on our toes to make sure what we’re saying makes sense to Taylor. And he’s virtually the same exact way because he’s saying, ‘Well, the reason why that’s challenging is because this is how I felt in the moment and here’s why.’ So, it actually makes it better for us to coach—but I will be going back to law school, and then by the time he’s retired, I’ll be ready to go.”

The conversation was far from one-sided. Fritz also joined in, acknowledging that he genuinely aligns with his coaches on many points. “I’d say quite a bit with you and Mike, I say I agree,” he noted. “Like a lot of times when they tell me something, it’s something that I also felt in that moment, but then there’s disagreements where—oh, maybe I—you know, a lot around coming to net, but you know—but you know we beat a long time.”

As Paul Annacone sheds light on the challenge of coaching Taylor Fritz, the American is letting his game do the talking at Wimbledon. Now 12th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, Fritz eyes a Top 10 breakthrough with a quarterfinal win over Karen Khachanov, an essential step toward returning to the year-end Nitto ATP Finals in 2025, where he finished runner-up to Jannik Sinner last season. 

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Can Taylor Fritz's sharp mind finally break the American men's Wimbledon curse after 23 long years?

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But in true champion fashion, Fritz made one thing clear: he certainly did not want to win this way, showing his class and competitive spirit even as he climbs toward elite territory.

Taylor Fritz expresses his disappointment after Jordan Thompson retires

Taylor Fritz powered into his third Wimbledon quarterfinal on Sunday, though not in the fashion he would’ve liked. The 5th seed advanced after Australia’s Jordan Thompson was forced to retire mid-match because of a nagging back injury. Fritz, leading 6-1, 3-0 on No. 1 Court, showed visible concern as Thompson, struggling with heavy strapping on his right leg, called time on their clash, handing the American a bittersweet win.

“It is not the way I want to go through,” Fritz admitted. “I was really excited to play Jordan today. I was excited to play some good tennis and it is just sad. He has been battling. He has been playing five setters. He was out playing a long doubles match yesterday, so he has been battling out here and respect to him for coming out. His body is not right, so I feel bad for him and hope he feels better.”

Fritz came into London riding high after capturing a record-breaking fourth Eastbourne title. However, Wimbledon wasn’t generous at first. He endured nine hours and 43 minutes across his first three rounds, digging deep to escape five-set thrillers against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Gabriel Diallo, before downing Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in four.

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While his latest victory took just 40 minutes, it was anything but satisfying. The match marked the third Lexus ATP H2H meeting between the two, but Thompson’s injury woes sealed the outcome early.

Now, Fritz gears up for a decisive battle with Karen Khachanov, who marched past Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak in straight sets. 

With upsets rocking the tournament and heartbreaks written across the lawns of SW19, the question remains: can Fritz rise once more and punch his ticket to a first-ever Wimbledon semifinal? The stakes have never been higher.

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Can Taylor Fritz's sharp mind finally break the American men's Wimbledon curse after 23 long years?

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