The 2025 tennis season kicked off with thrilling matches, notably Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff, leading Team USA to victory at the United Cup in Perth. While the competition was fierce, rivalries captured the crowd’s attention, especially the tension between Danielle Collins and Poland’s Iga Swiatek. Their icy exchange before the final match reignited old drama from their contentious 2024 Paris Olympics clash, raising questions about camaraderie in a sport where rivalries often emerge. Even for players like Fritz who weren’t directly involved.

In a recent press conference before the 2025 Australian Open, Fritz addressed the viral moment when Collins made a face after shaking hands with Swiatek. She even shared memes of her reaction on Instagram, making it her profile picture to emphasize how unserious she found the moment. When asked about shaking hands after a heated match, Fritz said,

“To be honest, I think everyone looks good shaking hands when you’re the winner. Everyone is graceful when they win. I think it says the most about people of how they react in a loss. I think that’s when you get to see the most about people.”

Good sportsmanship is vital in any game, even against top rivals. It encourages respect regardless of outcomes. As Taylor highlighted, post-game handshakes—gracious or curt—reveal players’ true personalities. In a sport that limits communication, this brief moment underscores that how players handle victory or defeat is crucial to sportsmanship. And Frtiz likes to do it ‘balanced’.

“When I lose matches, I always try to look my opponent in the eyes. If they played great, I just say, ‘Hey, too good, congrats, good luck,’” he added. With nearly a decade in the sport, Fritz understands the range of emotions involved. “A lot of people absolutely hate to lose. It sucks to lose. It’s very frustrating,” he noted, yet he remains gracious in defeat.

Despite a successful start to 2025 with US winning United Cup for 2nd time in 3 years, Fritz faced disappointing finals loss at the ATP Finals against Jannik Sinner, whom he also lost to at the 2024 US Open finals. Though frustrated by his loss on home soil, he kept his emotions in check. However, he isn’t entirely innocent of showing anger on court.

Last year at the Geneva Open, Fritz suffered a shocking defeat to compatriot Alex Michelsen after leveling the match in the second set. Frustrated by his performance, he broke his racket over his knees in frustration, but still displayed good sportsmanship by shaking Michelsen’s hand and sharing a hug at the net.

“You might be really upset and emotional about the match. That’s normal. A lot of people, we’re competitors; we hate to lose. Yeah, like I said, I think how you handle a loss shows a lot. It’s very important,” he concluded in the latest interview. On the other hand, Collins is ready to “move on” from her controversy with Iga Swiatek as they prepare for the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Collins looks forward to a fresh start with the Pole

Danielle Collins and Iga Swiatek‘s feud from the Paris Olympics was far from a one-off incident. The two athletes clashed in the quarterfinals, where Collins faced physical challenges and ultimately had to concede the match. Following her retirement, she issued a strong statement against Swiatek, calling her “insincere.” However, as they gear up for the Australian Open, after defeating Team Poland for the second consecutive year at the United Cup in Sydney, Collins decided to let go of the past.

In an interview with ‘CANAL+’, she reflected on her Olympic experience, saying, “These things happen sometimes on the court and I was in a lot of physical pain during that time of the match and feel uncomfortable with her reaction. Hopefully, we can move on from it & be good competitors & good people.” She added, “I’m trying to be the best person I can be and I fall short of that sometimes and people make mistakes. Hopefully, we can just focus on playing some good tennis.”

Now as they prepare for their Australian Open commitments, will we see a renewed focus on the court or will it lead to another thrilling showdown in Melbourne? Share your thoughts in the comments below!