Taylor Fritz seems to carry a strong feeling of possessiveness for the top spot. It was just days ago that Tommy Paul lifted the Queen’s Club Championship trophy and therefore became the topmost-ranked American. While Fritz took a hit in the quarterfinals of the same event, he was determined to take back the lead in Eastbourne. He wished and things turned exactly the way he wanted!

Taylor Fritz has taken the top spot as the highest-ranked American tennis player. This change comes after Tommy Paul, despite a 6-1, 7-6(8) win over the Italian Lorenzo Musetti, withdrew from Eastbourne to save energy for the upcoming Wimbledon. Although his victory at Queen’s was the biggest win of his career, his time at the top of the rankings chart was short-lived.

Paul had to defend points in Eastbourne, where he reached the final in 2023. Fritz added 55 ranking points with his win over Shang Juncheng, securing a spot in the semifinals. Paul, on the other hand, lost 105 points, handing over the lead to his compatriot and on-court rival.

The top three players in the nation, Fritz, Paul, and Ben Shelton, have been vying for the title of men’s American No. 1 for months now, and the competition has gotten more intense. In April 2021, Fritz was initially ranked as the top American. In the ensuing season, he increased his advantage and won three more titles in 2022, including the Indian Wells Masters 1000. He also made the world’s top 5 in 2023.

However, lately, there has been competition for Fritz’s hegemony. Only a few days after winning his second tour championship in Houston in April 2024, Ben Shelton, who advanced to his first Grand Slam semifinal at the US Open and captured his first ATP victory at the Japan Open at the end of 2023, took the crown. Shelton achieved a career-high position of 14 in the world.

In the claycourt season, Fritz outperformed the 21-year-old, but Tommy Paul took his place following his victory at the Queen’s Club Championships. But, as Paul wished to take a breather, Taylor Fritz regained his title leading by one hundred points.

On that note, Taylor Fritz is known for his focus on his ranking goals. The ATP star explained his motivation behind hustling for the top spot, saying, “My goal is to be top 10, and I feel like if I can kind of play the level that I’ve been playing consistently throughout the whole year, then I can do it.”

Although Fritz is now crowned as the highest-ranked American, the battle for this position would become intense as Wimbledon approaches. While Fritz likes to be on top, it appears that his rival is also determined to dethrone him.

Tommy Paul wants to “go home with the trophy”

The crowd in London cheered at the top of their lungs as Tommy Paul took down Lorenzo Musetti. Along with posing with the trophy and celebrating the win with his loved ones, the American also took a moment to reveal his newly earned confidence.

“I got to 12 in the world at some point last year. I want to get to 10. I want to be top 10. Then from there, we keep going,” he said, echoing the sentiments of his rival Taylor Fritz. Along with helping him see a dream to be in the top 10, the victory in London also made him experience the magical feeling of carrying a trophy home.

“I said I wanted to win more tournaments this year, and I got one title this year, but that’s been the goal. I want to go home with the trophy,” he added, justifying the excitement on his face.

Although Fritz has finally taken back the position, Paul still stands strong as a tough rival. With the grass-court major approaching in just a few hours, the new top ranker will be decided by the end of it.