"He's getting to those points at Slams": Andy Roddick explains why Shelton and Fritz are closer to the top than it looks

Former US Open champion Andy Roddick has weighed in on the trajectory of American tennis stars Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz as the tour looks ahead to the 2026 season. The former world No. 1 shared his predictions for the upcoming campaign and assessed whether his compatriots can threaten the dominance of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

For Ben Shelton, the narrative centers on a breakthrough interrupted. During his podcast - Served with Roddick - the American highlights Shelton's title run in Canada as a turning point where his raw power began to merge with tactical maturity. However, an untimely injury at the US Open derailed what looked to be a surge into the top five. Roddick notes that Shelton is "no longer just throwing heat," pointing to a significant evolution in his on-court decision-making and patience.

Taylor Fritz, conversely, represents elite stability in the rankings. Roddick points to Fritz’s ability to hit the "50-win threshold" even during what he termed a "strange season" where a signature hard court title remained elusive. The challenge remains the ceiling imposed by the very best in the game. While Fritz has cemented himself as a top-six staple, his inability to consistently dismantle the likes of Novak Djokovic, Sinner, or Alcaraz remains the primary obstacle.

The tragedy of Ben Shelton’s recent campaign was not just the injury itself, but the timing of it. Roddick points out that professional tennis players spend years striving for a level of play where their daily output is predictable rather than volatile. Before his setback in New York, Shelton had seemingly reached that elite standard, transforming from a player of peaks and valleys into a legitimate threat for the biggest titles on tour.

"I was heartbroken for Ben at the US Open because the thing that you want as a pro tennis player is to get to the point where you build, build, build. And then you were pretty close to positive about what your output is going to be on a given day. And Ben had gotten to that point by winning Canada. [...] It takes months and years to get to the point where that output is predictable and you look like a top five guy. Ben had gotten to that point and then injury interrupted it."

Roddick also took the opportunity to firmly validate the role of Bryan Shelton. In a sport where parent-coaches are often viewed with skepticism, Roddick argued that Bryan’s resume speaks for itself. He stressed that Shelton’s evolution into a nuanced player is evidence of high-level instruction, citing Bryan’s unique history in the NCAA as proof that he is one of the most qualified tacticians in the sport, regardless of his familial tie to the player.

"Brian Shelton is a proper, proper coach. This was a top 50 player. This is a guy who really studies the sport. This is not the guy who's there for the badge and the players lounge. [...] My favorite stat is that I think he's the only person ever to coach a women's team to an NCAA title and a men's team to an NCAA title. So talk about knowing the information, being able to deliver it to different styles, different types of play."

Taylor Fritz continues to produce elite statistics, yet the narrative surrounding his game is dominated by his head-to-head records against the very best. Roddick acknowledges that maintaining a ranking inside the top six is an immense achievement that often goes underappreciated. Despite what Roddick characterized as a strange season without a marquee hard court title, Fritz still managed to cross the 50-win mark, a testament to his durability and baseline quality.

"It's not hard to be top four or six in the world. And he's kind of doing it every year now. Like that's not nothing at all. It's a big deal. And, and sort of a strange season. Um, so sort of ups and downs did not win a hard court title and yet still hit that 50 win threshold."

However, the path to a Grand Slam title remains blocked by specific matchups that Fritz has yet to solve. Roddick identifies the trio of Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz as the primary obstacles. While Fritz is consistently reaching the second week of majors, he is frequently eliminated by these specific rivals, creating a recurring pattern that will define his preparation for 2026.

"This really comes down to breaking through against Alcaraz and Sinner. And this is going to be a common theme, right? He's getting to those points and slams most of the time now... Hasn't beaten Novak yet. You know, is a tough matchup against Sinner and Alcaraz, tough for Sinner at Wimbledon in the semis, but he's there."