It has been a 12 months of firsts for Taylor Fritz. The American lifted his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells in March and cracked the High 10 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in October, earlier than making his debut on the Nitto ATP Finals this week.
Regardless of struggling semi-final heartbreak towards Novak Djokovic in Turin on Saturday, the 25-year-old revealed that he was pleased with his season as he mirrored on his newfound standing within the sport.
“I completely really feel like I belong,” mentioned World No. 9 Fritz in his post-match press convention. “I feel that I’ve proved that I belong within the High 10 and I belong right here. I simply must hold working laborious.
“Thankfully for me, I feel there’s a variety of positives to take out of this 12 months the place I completed. I completed the place I did and I missed just about the entire clay-court season, did not have any coaching going into the start of the hard-court season. I used to be coping with accidents and I nonetheless was in a position to produce a very strong 12 months. I am simply excited to get again to work and hold bettering. Subsequent 12 months [I will] look to cement my spot much more.”
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Fritz earned round-robin victories towards Rafael Nadal and Felix Auger-Aliassime on the prestigious year-end occasion, earlier than falling to Djokovic 7-6(5), 7-6(6).
The American completed ninth within the Pepperstone ATP Reside Race To Turin and due to this fact appeared set to overlook out on competing in Turin. Nonetheless, Carlos Alcaraz’s inside indirect muscle tear pressured the Spaniard to withdraw every week earlier than the occasion, opening the door for Fritz.
The World No. 9 admitted that regardless of his semi-final disappointment, he was happy with how he grabbed his likelihood in northern Italy.
“I’m certain in two weeks from now I will look again and I will say, ‘It was a very nice week,’” Fritz mentioned. “Not solely did I get the possibility to play the [Nitto ATP] Finals, I made it out of the group. I had two good wins.
“I might have ended my 12 months with a second-round loss in Paris and that may have been it. I’d have gone into the low season with that being the final match. Now I’ll really feel loads higher about my tennis, about my sport being achieved for the season off of this efficiency. So it is nice.”
Fritz, who was making his debut on the year-end occasion this week, additionally feels the expertise of competing in Turin will profit him shifting ahead.
“I feel the occasion’s wonderful,” Fritz mentioned. “I like you could lose a match and nonetheless have the chance to return again and enhance. It is an entire totally different factor. I’ve by no means misplaced a match after which instantly needed to lock in straight again to it. To do every thing after the match the identical as I’d if I had received as a result of I’ve to get able to play once more.
“I feel it is a good lesson to be taught, staying locked in on a regular basis. On Tour the highest gamers are constant each week. That is one factor you’ll be able to take out of it. Even after you lose, you simply type of keep on it.”