Taylor Fritz makes his feelings known on 'earning' his career-high ranking & top 5 spot

In an interview with Racquet, on January 27, Taylor Fritz talked about his World No. 4 ranking in the ATP Tour and his feelings about breaking into the top 5. This is his highest rank in singles since making his pro debut. Much of it boils down to his form last year.

In 2024, Fritz reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and the Wimbledon Championships. At the US Open, he reached his maiden Grand Slam final, even though it ended in a straight-set loss to World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. He also made it to the final of the year-end Nitto ATP Finals for the first time in 2024, again coming up second-best to Sinner at the last hurdle.

In the interview, Taylor Fritz reflected on how he has "earned" a place in the top five of the ATP Tour rankings. Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud are the other players in the top 5 list.

"There’s all these other guys I’m ranked higher than that are such good players. I earned my spot…I definitely feel like I do belong," Fritz said.

Fritz went on to talk about his and other American ATP stars' desire to become singles Major winners. Andy Roddick was the last American man to win a singles Grand Slam title at the 2003 US Open. After his loss in the 2024 US Open final, the California native apologized to the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium for failing to snap the American men's Grand Slam drought.

"I mean, we all wanna be that guy. I’m always looking for ways that I can improve my game, always analyzing matches that I lose, trying to figure out what things I realistically can be better at and I keep working hard and once I kind of do something and set, I guess, a new best for myself, I find it much easier to replicate and do it again…What I feel pressure-wise is what I’m putting on myself because I have very high expectations," Fritz added.

Taylor Fritz made a positive start to the ongoing 2025 season but suffered a shocking early exit at the Australian Open.

Taylor Fritz helped the USA to glory at United Cup 2025 but lost to Gael Monfils in Australian Open 3R

Taylor Fritz at the 2025 Australian Open (Source: Getty)

Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff were the stars of Team USA at the 2025 United Cup, and it was the former who sealed the deal at the last hurdle by overcoming Poland's Hubert Hurkacz in a three-set thriller. All in all, Fritz played five matches at the international mixed-team tennis tournament and won four.

However, Fritz couldn't muster a deep run at the Australian Open. Despite two comprehensive straight-set victories in his first and second-round matches at the year's first Major, he fell to French veteran Gael Monfils in the third round.

Taylor Fritz will next compete in the Dallas Open and lock horns with Arthur Rinderknech in the first round. Notably, the two have a troubled history. The last time they clashed, the American won the match and sarcastically wished the Frenchman "a nice flight home."