Wimbledon glory remains a distant dream for American men, with the last star-spangled triumph dating back to Pete Sampras in 2000. But Taylor Fritz, the top-seeded American, is determined to change that narrative. After powering into his third Wimbledon quarterfinal, the Californian is making waves not just with his game, but with his mind. Fellow countryman Ben Shelton recently praised him, saying, “He’s not getting coached as much during the match. He’s just talking through and making adjustments, and telling them what’s going on. I think he has a great tennis mind.” That sharp mind was on full display off the court too, as coach Paul Annacone joined in the fun, joking about Fritz’s fierce debating skills and the hardship of coaching the American.

Just moments after his commanding win over Aussie Jordan Thompson, Taylor Fritz joined his coach, Paul Annacone, former mentor to Roger Federer, on the Tennis Channel desk for a light-hearted yet insightful post-match banter. With the glow of victory still fresh, the conversation quickly shifted gears from tactics to team dynamics. 

Annacone, never one to shy away from honesty laced with humor, pulled back the curtain on what it’s really like to coach one of the sharpest minds on the tour. “The only thing that’s really challenging is that my debate skills aren’t that strong. I don’t win the debates nearly as much as I would like, but that’s okay because that’s another reason why he’s top five in the world,” he said with a laugh.

Fritz, grinning and ready to defend his side, jumped in with a bit of clarification. “I can explain, though. When we’re on the practice court, I think a lot of times it’s taken as—and I mean by now you know this—as I’m arguing, but it’s more I want to say what I was thinking in the moment for whatever like shot I hit or why we might disagree on something.” That raw honesty continued as Fritz added, “I want to say what I was thinking, so then you can understand why I did what I did, and then you can tell me why I’m wrong. And then I might say, ‘Well, I don’t—I’m not sure.’”

Annacone, with a knowing smile, made it clear that he wouldn’t have it any other way. “I don’t want a yes player to do this cuz I said so. I raised my kids already. I used that line already—‘Do this cuz I’m your dad, cuz I said so,’” he quipped. “I like the fact that Taylor’s always trying to get better.”

He also gave a nod to fellow coach Michael Russell, saying, “Michael and I consistently have to be on our toes to make sure what we’re saying makes sense to Taylor. And he’s virtually the same exact way because he’s saying, ‘Well, the reason why that’s challenging is because this is how I felt in the moment and here’s why.’ So, it actually makes it better for us to coach—but I will be going back to law school, and then by the time he’s retired, I’ll be ready to go.”

The conversation was far from one-sided. Fritz also joined in, acknowledging that he genuinely aligns with his coaches on many points. “I’d say quite a bit with you and Mike, I say I agree,” he noted. “Like a lot of times when they tell me something, it’s something that I also felt in that moment, but then there’s disagreements where—oh, maybe I—you know, a lot around coming to net, but you know—but you know we beat a long time.”

(The story is emerging…)