Taylor Fritz was unable to help USA qualify for the Davis Cup Finals after losing to Jiri Lehecka.
Fritz is the number one American player, and was playing in his first event since losing in the US Open quarterfinals to Novak Djokovic.
Competing in Delray Beach, Florida, the Americans were very well supported, with even Ben Shelton watching his American compatriots despite withdrawing from the tie due to injury.
Fritz battled through illness to beat Jakub Mensik, but he was unable to repeat the same against Jiri Lehecka.
Taylor Fritz admits he found the conditions ‘real tough’ against Jiri Lehecka
Due to the sickness that Fritz has been dealing with since the US Open, he has been limited in how much he has been able to practice.
Fritz is a two-time champion of the ATP tournament in Delray Beach, but claimed it was ‘impossible’ to get ‘free points’ on the same courts due to the slower conditions as there was rain before his match with Lehecka.
However, the world number four was also full of praise for Lehecka after being beaten, 6-4 3-6 6-4, which levelled the tie back up at 2-2.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s tough, tough match,” Fritz said in his post-match press conference. “He played really well. You know, I think all things considered, I was kind of just trying to will my way, fight my way through it to get through the match.
“I did a great job in the second set, just fighting off breakpoints pretty much every game, just hold onto the break.
“Yeah, I had my chances in the third, and it’s just real tough, I’d say, conditions for me to play in, and super slow. Felt just impossible to get free points with serve, groundstrokes, playing like such like slow physical conditions when I haven’t really had the time to be training. I have been sick. It’s just really tough to play through.”
Taylor Fritz explains what he is going to take from Davis Cup defeat
USA’s Davis Cup exit was confirmed after Frances Tiafoe was beaten by Jakub Mensik in the deciding rubber, and Fritz was asked to look ahead to coming tournaments.
In response, Fritz revealed that he felt ‘burnt out’ after the US Open, before falling unwell, but he is now encouraged by playing high intensity matches against two top 20 players.
“I mean, I think it’s good that I got two tough matches in in these conditions to kind of start getting my fitness, I guess, back obviously after the US Open,” said Fritz. “I felt very just burnt out, played a lot of tennis, so I took days off.
“Then just so happened that the days leading into this event, you know, the days that I was meant to get back on the court and start training and start getting it back, I got sick. So I wasn’t really able to practice or get it going.
“So it’s great to get two tough matches in, and definitely it kind of gives me a head start in getting back into, like, full match shape.”
Fritz will now remain in the States for the Laver Cup in San Francisco, as he represents Team World for a fifth time.
The 27-year-old is then scheduled to return to individual ATP competition at the Japan Open, where Carlos Alcaraz will be the top seed.
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