Taylor Fritz seems to have cracked the Alexander Zverev code. The American had already beaten the German four times in a row going into the Stuttgart final. Wimbledon? Check. US Open? Check. Laver Cup and ATP Finals? Also check. No matter the stage, Fritz has had Zverev’s number. But in 2025, things weren’t going too well for the American No. 1—until he saw that familiar face across the net. And now, Zverev is issuing a warning against him after all the beatdowns!

Fritz snapped his title-less run in style. The 28-year-old captured his ninth ATP Tour trophy and his fourth on grass at the BOSS OPEN in Stuttgart on Sunday. The rain tried to play spoilsport, but Fritz wasn’t letting anything stop him. Not the weather, not the conditions, and certainly not Zverev.

The American was in the zone, firing 11 aces and not giving the world No. 3 a single break-point opportunity. He won 88 percent of his first-serve points and sealed the win 6-3, 7-6(0). With that, Taylor Fritz now leads the head-to-head 8-5 against Zverev, having won their last five meetings on the trot. Zverev, clearly fed up, let his frustration out on the mic.

He said, “Taylor, I’m sick of you. I don’t want to see you again for the next two or three years. Please stay away from me. Don’t come to Germany ever again.”

But it was all in jest, well, mostly. He followed it up with praise. “No, well done, you deserve to win this title. You are one of the best players in the world on this surface, and you were much better than me today, so congrats to the whole team, and I’m sure you are going to do incredible on the next two tournaments on grass, so well done,” the German added.

Only Novak Djokovic has more grass-court titles than Taylor Fritz among active players. Djokovic leads with eight. But Fritz isn’t far behind. With four grass titles (three at Eastbourne and now one in Stuttgart), he’s tied with Matteo Berrettini and Nicolas Mahut. That’s good company to keep.

Zverev, on the other hand, is still chasing his first grass trophy. This latest loss adds to his heartbreaks on the surface, having previously finished runner-up in Halle twice, back in 2016 and 2017. He’s still got time to turn things around this season, but the grass continues to be a tricky customer for the German. Meanwhile, Fritz is making his move at just the right moment, climbing back up the rankings with purpose.

Taylor Fritz powers up the rankings as Alexander Zverev regroups for Halle

Fritz win comes at a crucial time. His 2024 ended on a strong note: finals appearances at both the US Open and the ATP Finals helped him finish the year ranked No. 4. But 2025 hadn’t been kind. Aside from a semifinal run at Miami, he hadn’t made it past the fourth round at any major or Masters 1000 tournament. And Roland Garros? He crashed out in the very first round.

So, when he signed the camera lens after the final with the message, “I’m back,” it felt like more than just words. Taylor Fritz will jump back to World No. 4 in the ATP rankings on Monday with the 250 points earned in Stuttgart. He’ll also push Novak Djokovic down to No. 5.

That means the American moves past not only Djokovic but also Jack Draper and Lorenzo Musetti, both of whom were ahead of him after the French Open. With Djokovic not returning until Wimbledon and Musetti pulling out of Queen’s, Fritz is now in prime position to be one of the top four seeds at the All England Club.

The duo will now go their separate ways. Taylor Fritz heads to Queen’s, while Alexander Zverev remains in Germany for Halle. But neither can relax. Carlos Alcaraz looms large in Queen’s, and Jannik Sinner is already in Halle as the top seed.

Could Wimbledon be the site of their next clash? It would be a full-circle moment, as that’s where this rivalry really started to heat up, after all. Fritz has the momentum now, and Zverev has a score to settle. Could Centre Court be the stage for Round 14? What do you think?