Taylor Fritz captured the Stuttgart Open ATP title on Sunday, defeating Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (7-0) to claim his first ATP trophy of the year. This victory marked Fritz’s ninth career title and his first in Stuttgart, adding to his three previous grass-court wins at Eastbourne in 2019, 2022, and 2024. The American’s success in the tournament further solidifies his strong form on grass courts as he prepares for Wimbledon.
Struggles on Clay Preceded Grass Court Success
Poor results on clay had dampened Fritz’s early 2025 campaign, including a first-round exit at the French Open where he lost to world number 66 Daniel Altmaier, and an underwhelming run in Rome that concluded the clay season with just three wins in four events. However, his form sharply improved on grass, as he opened the season perfectly in Stuttgart.
Reflecting on his performance after the win, Fritz said,
“It was not so great a clay season, so to come here and start the grass season off perfectly, I am super happy to get the title and to do it here.”
—Taylor Fritz, Tennis Player
Fritz’s Dominance Over Zverev Continues
With this victory, Fritz extended his winning streak against Zverev to five consecutive matches, making their head-to-head 8-5 in Fritz’s favor. Zverev last defeated Fritz at the 2024 Italian Open in May of the previous year. Since then, Fritz has beaten Zverev multiple times, including in major tournaments such as Wimbledon, the US Open, the ATP Finals, and the Laver Cup, highlighting a challenging period for the German top seed.
Zverev Reacts to Ongoing Rivalry with Humor
Despite the recent string of defeats, Alexander Zverev embraced the rivalry with a light-hearted remark during his on-court interview after the Stuttgart final. He joked,
“Last but not least, Taylor, I’m f***ing tired of you. I don’t want to see you again over the next two to three years. Please stay away from me. Don’t come to Germany anymore.”
—Alexander Zverev, Tennis Player
Zverev will now stay in Germany to recover and compete at the Halle Open, while Fritz will move to London to play at Queen’s Club, which he enters as the third seed in the men’s singles and will also participate in the doubles event alongside Jiri Lehecka.
Next Tournaments and Wimbledon Preparations
Though Fritz did not participate in the Stuttgart Open before this year, his win marks a promising step before the grass-court Grand Slam at Wimbledon. Unlike Fritz, he will skip the Queen’s Club event to focus on his preparations for Wimbledon. Fritz will begin his campaign at Queen’s against a qualifier, aiming to build momentum ahead of the Grand Slam. Meanwhile, Zverev will use the Halle Open as an opportunity to regain form on home soil.