Taylor Fritz makes his return to Eastbourne this week, taking on a tournament he has won on three occasions.
ATP number five Fritz won the Boss Open title in Stuttgart earlier this month, defeating top seed Alexander Zverev in the final.
His ninth career title arrived after an opening round exit at the French Open, with Fritz suffering the same fate at Queen’s last week.
The American is now the top seed at Eastbourne, and has been drawn to face rising star Joao Fonseca in his opening match.
Fritz won his first-ever ATP title at the event back in 2019, and clinched further titles there in 2022 and 2024.
Sam Querrey says if he thinks Taylor Fritz should stop playing Eastbourne before Wimbledon
Former professional Sam Querrey has now discussed his fellow American on the Nothing Major Show, speaking about whether Fritz should stop playing Eastbourne before Wimbledon.
“That’s not Taylor’s style,” he said. “He has won it three times. Took me out in the final there for his first title ever in 2019.
“Taylor wants to go into Wimbledon off of a title in Eastbourne rather than just a practice. He lost first round at Queen’s, remember that.
“He would just be practising for 12 straight days, that is the worst thing that Taylor can do. He wants to be playing matches and so he wants to go to Eastbourne and win that thing.
“A lot of players I think it’s hard when you win a tournament a bunch of times to skip it, you feel like you play well there and he feels like he is going to win it, so if he skipped it in his mind he is thinking why would I skip a tournament that I am going to win.
“I like the play for Taylor. It’s a little over an hour from Wimbledon. You can lose on a Thursday and then at 5pm you’re at Wimbledon having dinner at 6:30pm, so it’s very convenient.”
Steve Johnson says why Eastbourne is ‘one of the worst places’ on the ATP circuit
Fritz should be keen to enjoy a lengthy stay at Eastbourne, both due to his disappointing Queen’s exit and the fact he has just fallen one place in the world rankings.
British star Jack Draper has risen two places to fourth in the latest update, with Novak Djokovic dropping one place to sixth.
But Fritz has been handed a very tricky draw at the venue where he has enjoyed more success than anywhere else.
Brazilian teenager Fonseca is currently taking the ATP Tour by storm, and is into round two after clinching his first main draw win on grass.
Fonseca may just challenge Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the years to come, with the 18-year-old now chasing his second career title in Eastbourne.
But Sam Querrey’s fellow former player Steve Johnson is not so convinced about anyone taking on the ATP 250 tournament just before Wimbledon starts.
Johnson said: “It’s one of the worst places you could ever go to. I hate Eastbourne! For me the weather is horrible there.
“It’s always windy. The hotels there are so incredibly bad. I have had the worst hotel rooms. It is the most insane place.”