Many top tennis players, after retiring from the professional circuit, take up the role of a coach or a commentator to stay connected to the sport. But for the coaches who work with their own kids, it doesn’t always turn out well. We have many examples in the circuit today. For instance, Stefanos Tsitsipas recently fired his father from his team and is now on a hunt for a new coach. However, things are different for the US Open finalist Taylor Fritz. How did Fritz’s parents help him lay the foundation of his tennis career? Let’s find out.

As Taylor Fritz gets ready for the summit clash against the World No.1 Jannik Sinner, fans might be eager to know about the beginnings of his career. Back in December 2021, Tennis.com interviewed Fritz, at the cusp of the beginning of the 2022 season. They asked the American star about the contribution of his “tennis family.” For the unversed, Fritz’s mother, Kathy May, is a former WTA player. Her father has also played sports professionally. However, despite having world-class experience, Fritz’s parents stayed in the background, as their son rose through the ranks.

Both of Fritz’s parents helped him navigate through the initial years. Whenever Fritz needed his mother to travel to tennis tournaments with him, she was there for him. The 26-year-old said, “Mom kind of took a step back, but she’s gone to tournaments with me and it’s worked out great. She helped me make a lot of important decisions, especially early on because she’d been through it herself.”

However, Fritz’s mother never pressured him to do things her way. Kathy made sure to let him develop on his own. Fritz further added, “She’s there for the practices, she’s there for the matches — otherwise, she kind of leaves me to do my own thing.”

The same cannot be said for his father though. According to Fritz, his father was more involved during his younger years. “My dad was much more involved, with me all the way through junior.” However, as the American star developed, he looked for another coach to guide him. “Then at a point, I just thought it was time to move on and find someone who . .. it’s just tough when it’s a parent-coach relationship. I needed someone I could listen to more easily, and have an easier time talking to, like about tennis stuff. It was just a weird dynamic,” Fritz added.

Being there for Fritz, his family always gave him space to learn from his own experiences and enjoy his journey. Fritz is the first player from his family to make it to the finals of a grand slam. The American tennis star broke a 47-year-old family jinx to make an appearance at the Arthur Ashe Stadium on the final day!

Taylor Fritz lifts 47-year-old family jinx at the US Open

Taylor Fritz’s mother, Kathy, was a top player during her time. But she was unable to get to the semifinal stage of a Grand Slam. She, however, made it to the quarterfinals several times. When Taylor Fritz made it to the US Open quarterfinals, it was his 5th such outing. And when taken together for the family, it was their cumulative 8th quarterfinal outing. However, things changed for the better when Fritz breezed through the quarterfinals.

The US Open noted the family’s achievement with the following words, “Taylor Fritz and mom Kathy May have eight career Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances combined, spanning from 1977 Roland-Garros to the 2024 US Open. Today, one of them reached the semifinals for the first time. The 47-year-old curse has been lifted 🙌”

Now, Fritz is looking to break another jinx, as it has been 21 years since an American man last won a US Open singles title. Can Tayor Fritz do it today? Do let us know in the comments!