The United Cup is in full swing Down Under, and Team USA is turning heads with their stellar performances. Leading the charge are Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz, who have guided the Americans to the quarterfinals. Their path to the knockout stage was cemented with Fritz’s win over Borna Coric and Gauff’s victory over Donna Vekic, as Team USA won their tie against Croatia to secure the top spot in Group A.

Taylor Fritz seems to be carrying the momentum from last season where he played some of the best tennis of his life and made it to the summit clash of the US Open. He became the first American man since Andy Roddick in 2006 to reach the final at Flushing Meadows, playing in front of a star-studded crowd featuring Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Matthew McConaughey, and Lindsay Lohan. And Fritz definitely felt the heat.

In a recent interview, the American star gave fans a glimpse into his personal side, sharing a hilarious anecdote about his childhood celebrity crush, and guess who it was? “My childhood celebrity crush was Lindsay Lohan,” he revealed. He recalled a particularly embarrassing moment at the US Open final: “They put her on the big screen at the USA Open in the final. Oh my god, damn! Like Lindsay Lohan’s watching me lose right now.”

The final against Jannik Sinner didn’t go Fritz’s way but when he broke Sinner in the third set with a drop shot, a lob, and an overhead smash, the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium roared. However, the world No. 1 quickly regained control, breaking back and winning the next two games to claim the championship. Fritz fell short losing 6-3, 6-4, 7-5. 

The weight of not ending the American men’s Grand Slam drought seemed to hang heavy on the American’s shoulders. “I feel like American fans have been wanting a men’s champion for a long time, and I don’t know, I’m pretty upset with how I played,” he admitted during the post-match press conference. “I feel like I almost let a lot of people down.” While the loss was a tough pill to swallow, the World No.4 is optimistic about the future.

Taylor Fritz reveals his main goals for the 2025 season

Taylor Fritz has kicked off his new season at the United Cup to prepare for the Australian Open. Reflecting on his off-season preparations in a press conference, he said, “I thought I was playing really solid tennis in the off-season, I got good work in. Hopefully, a deep run at the Slams. That’s like my main goal all year long is the big results at the Slams.”

At the United Cup, Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff have shown they’re not just great singles players but can form a formidable mixed double pair as well. Their campaign began with a crucial victory over Canada, where Gauff defeated Leylah Fernandez 6-3, 6-2 in her singles match. Although Fritz lost his singles match to Felix Auger-Aliassime, the pair made up for it with their thrilling mixed doubles win.

After the match, Fritz jokingly said, “After losing my singles match the way I lost my singles match it would’ve been really tough to go home today with a mixed-doubles loss as well. Thank you, Coco, for carrying the team today, and we got it done.”

Their momentum continued in their next match against Croatia, where Fritz dispatched Borna Coric 6-3, 6-2, sealing Team USA’s spot in the quarterfinals. Gauff also impressed, beating Donna Vekic to contribute to their success.

Team USA now gears up to face China in the United Cup quarterfinals, with a spot in the semifinals in Sydney on the line. As Group A winners, Gauff and Fritz are looking to continue their winning ways and make a deep run in the tournament. Can this dynamic duo lead Team USA to glory?