Despite injuries, Taylor Fritz eager to make run at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS — Taylor Fritz is suffering.

Not all the time, not in a profoundly debilitating way, but enough that his ongoing battle with tendinitis in his right knee has become part of his identity as a tennis player — as much as his court acumen, his unwavering competitiveness and his Southern California charisma.

All of these traits will be called upon if the Rancho Palos Verdes resident is to make another deep run at the BNP Paribas Open, the place he calls home and where his biggest breakthrough came in 2022.

“I felt like I had a lot to prove at the time because I wasn’t ranked that high, but I felt like my level was there, and it was one of the best, if not THE best week of my career,” Fritz said of his victory over Rafael Nadal for the title.

That run made Fritz the de facto face of American men’s tennis and elevated him to more elite echelons of the sport. Four years later, in his 11th consecutive appearance in the desert, the question is less about proving himself than maintaining the standard that took him to the highest level of football.

However, his battle with tendonitis is at the forefront of his mind. It hampered his offseason and forced him to balance rehabilitation with the intense demands of competitive tennis. For a player built around explosive movement and punishing serving, the margin can seem precarious.

Taylor Fritz reacts to a point in a match during his victory against Jacob Fearnley at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday in Indian Wells.

(Harry Comment/Getty Images)

A busy schedule of sponsor shoots in the days leading up to the tournament sent the stiffness in his knee “through the roof,” Fritz said.

“It’s actually the worst it’s been in a while,” he said after his first-round victory over Britain’s Jacob Fearnley in three sets on Saturday night.

At 28 years old, Fritz is no stranger to physical setbacks or the burden of carrying the American flag in men’s tennis.

The 6-foot-5 Californian has worn the red, white and blue since Andy Roddick retired more than a decade ago. Fritz, who also had a son at 19, became the only American of his generation to reach a Grand Slam final at the 2024 US Open. He also ended a 12-year drought for American men at premier ATP events like Indian Wells by winning the crown here four years ago.

Fritz’s success has not gone unnoticed among the tight-knit group of American players who are pushing each other up the rankings.

“He definitely led the field in a lot of ways,” said 24th-ranked Tommy Paul, who is a close friend. “It motivates us.”

Fritz’s high tennis IQ and fiery competitiveness have long been trademarks. So does a work ethic that his peers often describe as relentless, coupled with a preternatural optimism that drives him to overcome setbacks. It’s also a bit nerdy. A lively review on his Twitch stream of this year’s ball change at Indian Wells recently went viral.

His composure was also tested after losing a tight tie-break to Fearnley in the second set. But Fritz reset and took the decider 6-1.

“I knew if I hit the same level in the third set and was just a little neater on some of the big points, then I could take care of the third set,” Fritz said. “It’s not like I feel lost.”

Next comes another test for the generation he helped lead. Fritz will face compatriot Alex Michelsen on Monday for a place in the fourth round.

Taylor Fritz holds up his trophy after beating Rafael Nadal in the final of the 2022 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

But Fritz has been wandering around in the desert a bit lately due to his physical problems.

Unlike many players on the ATP Tour who spend the offseason fine-tuning their games, Fritz has spent almost the entire period leading up to 2026 recovering from his problematic knee.

During the six-week break, he focused on strengthening work and controlled strikes to maintain timing without overloading the joint. Fritz said he considered quitting altogether, but ultimately chose to manage his injury while continuing to compete.

Despite struggling with injuries in 2025, seventh-ranked Fritz reached his first semifinal at Wimbledon and won titles at Eastbourne and Stuttgart.

Fritz also qualified for the ATP Finals for a third consecutive year, reinforcing his belief that he remains among the game’s elite.

“I think it’s an extremely important year,” coach Michael Russell said.

His 2026 season was solid if not spectacular.

At the Australian Open in January, Fritz reached the fourth round before losing to fifth-place Italian Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets, capping a streak heavily affected by recurring oblique and knee injuries.

Returning to the United States, he reached the final in Dallas on indoor hard courts and the quarterfinals in Delray Beach.

It helps that Indian Wells is almost part of its DNA.

Tennis, in many ways, always has been. Fritz’s parents both played professionally and that heritage allowed him to put a racket in his hand almost before he could walk.

He remembers many trips during his childhood when he and his family would drive the 100 miles from San Diego to the venue in Indian Wells that opened when Fritz was 2 years old.

Taylor Fritz slides to play a drop shot hit by Jacob Fearnley during the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells on Saturday.

(Harry Comment/Getty Images)

“I have so many memories I couldn’t tell you,” he said. “Now when I arrive, usually in my own car, it’s definitely a different feeling.”

When Fritz competes at home, his tennis often flourishes. With his friends and family nearby and such familiar sights and sounds, he tends to play some of his best tennis.

Fritz recognized that there was no silver lining to the injury, no Lindsey Vonn stories to inspire him, no new personal ideas. When it hurts, it’s not fun. When it feels good, he’s happy.

“It affects my mood a lot,” he said.

And even though Fritz remains the highest-ranked American, one spot ahead of 23-year-old Ben Shelton is no longer much of a priority.

“I’d rather be fourth or fifth in the world, and No. 2 or No. 3 American, then No. 10 and No. 1 American,” he said.

The urgency has increased as his career shortens.

It’s no secret that the best players on the circuit, No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and No. 2 Jannik Sinner, have opened up a huge gap with the rest of the field, both in terms of ranking points and titles. Together, they have won every major tournament since 2024 – nine and counting.

“They’re just at a different level right now,” Russell says.

But in 2024, Fritz was knocking on the door. He lost in straight sets to Italy’s Sinner in the US Open final – becoming the first American to reach that stage of a major tournament since Roddick in 2009 – and finished the season ranked 4th in his career.

The question now for Fritz is: will he be able to play through the pain and return to the level where the biggest titles are within reach?

Fritz thinks so, but it’s day to day. And a determination now shapes the way Fritz approaches the sport. More time to strengthen your body. Clearer long-term goals as he enters tennis’ middle age. More hours with longtime physiotherapist Wolfgang Oswald than perhaps any other player on tour.

“I think my level of tennis is still capable of improving, but it is starting to hit a wall,” he said, while at the start of his career it was the opposite. His body could handle the demands. He now considers his level to be high, provided he is physically capable of producing it.

Russell, a former top-60 professional, believes Fritz still has a lot of good tennis left in him, with room for improvement in various aspects of his game.

“Having a knee injury in the offseason, I think, is a real eye-opener for him,” Russell said.

Fritz believes his work ethic will always create opportunities for major titles. And this week, being in a place with good vibes should get the adrenaline pumping.

“I know how good my level is when I feel my body is in great shape,” he said.