Taylor Fritz left another ATP player particularly unimpressed by something he did during their match in Australia.
Fritz was hampered by a knee injury throughout the start of the 2026 season down under and he therefore struggled for form.
As well as losing in the fourth round of the Australian Open, Fritz also suffered defeats to Sebastian Baez, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Hubert Hurkacz at the United Cup.
While he was unable to win any of these matches, Fritz’s behaviour has been criticised by one of the players who beat him at the United Cup.
Sebastian Baez responds to Taylor Fritz celebration at the United Cup
Fritz was beaten by Baez, 4-6 7-5 6-4, in his first ever loss to the Argentine ATP player.
While this was a huge breakthrough for Baez, there was also a controversial moment in this match after Fritz hit a winning lob shot in the match.
After hitting this lob over Baez, who is 5’7″, Fritz proceeded to lower his hands to the floor and say ‘too small’.
Fritz has since explained that he was just copying an NBA celebration and he did not mean any offence by it, but Baez has now told Argentine newspaper La Nacion that he was not a fan of it.
“When Seba [Sebastian Gutierrez – Argentina United Cup captain] said it to me on the court, I thought it was to give me more momentum,” said Baez. “But later, when I saw it on video, I was like , ‘Holy s***…’ I didn’t like it.
“But I also knew it’s a celebration they do in the NBA; he’s American and a huge fan of those sports. But still, what I liked most was that after he did that gesture, I beat him. So it was the best feeling I could have had.”
What is preventing Taylor Fritz from winning a Grand Slam?
Sebastian Baez explains the differences between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
While Baez now has a victory over Fritz, he has still never beaten the top two players on the ATP Tour, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Alcaraz and Sinner are the dominant forces on the ATP Tour right now, having shared the last nine consecutive major titles, and Baez has explained why they are so difficult to beat.
Baez also pointed out the key differences between the two players, suggesting that Sinner is ‘more predictable’ than Alcaraz.
“They’re completely different players,” began Baez. “Alcaraz has a talent, skill, and rebelliousness that are extraordinary; incredible leg power, impressive shot quality. They’re relatively tall and lanky with uncommon mobility, and then there’s the variety of shots they have.
“Alcaraz is constantly hitting shots that make you think, ‘Come on, man!’ He can hit a slice, a lob, a rocket, a drop shot, another lob, another rocket. You can shoot in every direction and always have a response. With Sinner, you feel like he’s suffocating you. You give him a short pass and he’ll sink you.
“But then he doesn’t miss a ball, he doesn’t miss returns, he’s always there, intense, defending, so they create different situations. With Alcaraz, at least from a player’s perspective, it feels like he makes more mistakes, but at the same time, he doesn’t know what he’s going to do next; he has a wider range of shots to leave you standing still.
“Sinner might be more predictable, but he’s very… we call him Robotito. He’s very consistent and always plays in the right place. He’s a machine. Cool. Tactical. They’re both talented, and it’s impressive how quickly they’ve achieved so much.”
Will Carlos Alcaraz win the Calendar Slam in 2026?
If not, which Grand Slam is he going to fail to win?
Baez will not face either Alcaraz, Sinner or Fritz at his next couple of tournaments, starting at home for the Argentina Open.
Having never won the Argentina Open before, Baez will be looking to claim home victory when he begins his campaign in Buenos Aires against Peruvian Ignacio Buse.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
