“He feels that he belongs here”: Taylor Fritz must find confidence in big matches, says Annacone

Paul Annacone, former coach of Roger Federer, pointed out that Taylor Fritz needs to find greater confidence in big matches if he wants to take the next step in his career. The coach, who has been working with the American No. 1 for several years, guided him to the finals of both the US Open and the ATP Finals during the last season.

Fritz was one of the most consistent players of the season, with an impressive 52-23 record, reaching deep stages in major tournaments and claiming two titles. However, the 27-year-old fell short in his recent finals against Jannik Sinner and has struggled against the top players on the Tour.

Although Fritz has firmly established himself as one of the best players in the world over the past few seasons, he has yet to break through the dominance of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, or Alexander Zverev. Annacone discussed Fritz’s strategic adjustments, noting the importance of performing even on off days.

"Taylor's winning a lot of matches playing average tennis for him, whereas, before that what happened, I think it would frustrate him because his level wasn't high enough,” Annacone explained.

“Now, he's realizing, 'I can get through these matches playing average tennis for me, and give myself a chance to move further along in the week, and then I'll play better in the big matches,’" he added. "It hasn't been one match. It's a conglomeration of all these big moments that he's looking more and more comfortable. And now rightfully so, he feels that he belongs here."

Despite these challenges, Annacone expressed his pride in Fritz's achievements during a successful season that saw him finish as World No. 4. "I'm just really proud of him, the way he's going through his process to get to where he is and the fact that he has been so resilient."