Taylor Fritz will head into the 2026 ATP Tour season hoping to end a 23-year American drought.
Not since Andy Roddick in 2003 has an American man won a Grand Slam singles title. Roddick won the 2003 US Open, defeating Lleyton Hewitt in the final.
Fritz, the world number six, will likely have to overcome both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner if he is to win a major title – an extremely tall task.
Fritz is the latest in a long line of American superstars, following on from the likes of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.
The American, understandably, will have looked up to many of these icons while watching them play on the ATP Tour.
Fritz also had another idol who played football.
Taylor Fritz said Cristiano Ronaldo was a ‘big icon’ for him growing up
Speaking to Forbes in 2022, Fritz revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo had a big influence on him while growing up.
“My parents have obviously had the biggest influence on me. Both of them were pro players,” Fritz said.
“My mum got as high as number eight in the world. So there was a lot of knowledge there to help mould me into the player I am today.
“When I was young, I looked up to tennis players like Pete Sampras, Federer, and (Juan Martín) Del Potro. They all inspired me to play in a style similar to theirs.
“I played a lot of other sports growing up too. Soccer was always one of my other favourites, so Cristiano Ronaldo was also a big icon for me.”
Ronaldo, who currently plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, is one of the most successful players in football history. The Portuguese star has won five Champions League titles and holds the record for the most goals in Champions League history.
