"If he doesn't, he isn't beating Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner" - Serena Williams' ex-coach makes feelings known about Taylor Fritz's weaknesses

Serena Williams' former coach Rennae Stubbs recently gave her thoughts on the improvements Taylor Fritz needs to make in 2025. She believes that the American should focus on his net game and movement to get on the same level as Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz — two players who dominate their respective match-ups against him.

Fritz enjoyed a career-best season on the ATP Tour in 2024. The 27-year-old won 53 of his 76 matches, two pro titles, and finished runner-up at the US Open and the ATP Finals. Courtesy of his consistency, he rose to a career-high ranking of World No. 4 last month.

Rennae Stubbs recently invited former player Andrea Petkovic and her good friend Caitlin Thompson to her podcast to discuss several topics, including Taylor Fritz's ongoing progress. The Aussie player-turned-coach maintained that he had taken a "big step" in his career by reaching his maiden Major final in New York.

Stubbs conceded in the same breath that Fritz needed to improve his forward movement up the court to beat top players like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. She also insisted that the American was bound to run into either of the two players regularly at big tournaments.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing how much Taylor Fritz can just push that extra envelope of improving his net game and his forward momentum. I think he got a taste for it this year. I think he got very close to winning his first Grand Slam," Rennae Stubbs said on the Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast (1:01:17). "I can say when I made my first Grand Slam final in doubles, [I was like] 'Ah, this is the next big step.' I think that he got a taste for it, he knows what he has to do to get to that next step. It will be interesting to see if he tries to implement it."

"Because moving forward, and being better at moving forward is only going to help him. If he doesn't, he's not going to beat Alcaraz and Sinner. And one of those guys, just like Rafa, Roger, and Novak, they're always gonna be there."

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Taylor Fritz has only beaten Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner once in seven matches

Taylor Fritz lost to Jannik Sinner in US Open 2024 final

Taylor Fritz has a negative head-to-head record against Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner on the ATP Tour. While the American trails the Spaniard 0-2, he has gone 1-4 against the Italian.

Fritz has yet to win a set against Alcaraz; he lost their 2023 Miami Open quarterfinal clash and their 2024 Laver Cup encounter in straight sets. And although he defeated Sinner in their first-ever meeting at the 2021 Indian Wells, he has since dropped four back-to-back matches in their rivalry, including championship matches at this year's US Open and ATP Finals.