Home Tennis Jim Courier on Taylor Fritz Wimbledon semi-final: “Not the favorite, but grass gives him a real fighting chance”

Jim Courier on Taylor Fritz Wimbledon semi-final: “Not the favorite, but grass gives him a real fighting chance”

Jim Courier on Taylor Fritz Wimbledon semi-final: “Not the favorite, but grass gives him a real fighting chance”
Taylor Fritz's Wimbledon semi-final strategies prioritize strong serves and leveraging his forehand to counter Carlos Alcaraz's creativity.

Taylor Fritz has advanced to the semi-finals of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, where he will face Carlos Alcaraz. Ahead of this important match, former American tennis player Jim Courier shared his insights on Fritz’s chances and outlined the strategies Fritz should adopt to challenge the Spanish star effectively.

Fritz’s quarter-final match against Karen Khachanov on July 8 was marked by a dramatic moment involving an Electronic Line Calling (ELC) malfunction. This glitch occurred during the first game of the fourth set, when Fritz was leading 6-3, 6-4, 1-7. The last point of that game was replayed due to the technical issue, and Khachanov won that point. Nevertheless, Fritz rebounded strongly to win the fourth set and secure his place in the semi-finals.

Following this tense encounter, Jim Courier provided an analysis of Fritz’s playing style in a discussion with the Tennis Channel. Courier pointed out the simplicity but effectiveness of Fritz’s approach and emphasized key tactical elements Fritz must focus on against Alcaraz.

Jim Courier’s advice on how Fritz can challenge Alcaraz at Wimbledon

Courier highlighted the importance of Fritz’s serve and forehand, suggesting the American must also use his backhand strategically to disrupt Alcaraz’s rhythm. According to Courier, Fritz needs to keep Alcaraz at a distance and prevent him from using his agility and creativity at the net. Courier commented:

Taylor Fritz
Image of: Taylor Fritz

“Well, look, I think Fritz’s game is is really very straightforward. He needs to serve well. He needs to rock the forehand when he can, and he needs to keep throttling the backhand and change direction with the back end down the line from time to time. You need to keep Carlos at Bay. You don’t want Carlos pouncing on you, getting to the net using all of his creativity, right? You’ve got to suppress that with your firepower. How do you do that? Five sets. That’s the the question that is going to need to be answered,” said Courier.

Courier also addressed Fritz’s position as an underdog compared to the tournament favorites who are still in contention. With Djokovic and Sinner likely to compete in the final, Courier noted the challenge facing Fritz and how the grass surface offers a relative advantage for his style.

“We still have the three major protagonists. He’s going to have to go through Alcaraz in the semi finals and most likely either Sinner or Djokovic in the final. That’s a tall order. Is it impossible? This surface makes it more likely for him. It closes the gap because it’s so much harder that we talked about all tournaments, so much harder to play defense on this one. He plays great offense. Defense is not his strength, but everyone’s defense gets worse on grass. So that this does give him a better chance, but he’s certainly not going to be the favorite,” added Courier.

Taylor Fritz’s message to Carlos Alcaraz before their Wimbledon semi-final showdown

Having secured his spot in the semi-finals, Taylor Fritz addressed his upcoming match against Alcaraz during a post-match press conference. Fritz joked about not facing Alcaraz on clay courts, implying that grass suits his game better and gives him confidence going into their match.

“Well if it’s him (Alcaraz in the semis), I’m happy that we’re not playing at the French Open on clay with the French Open balls because that would be an absolute nightmare,” Taylor Fritz said.

Fritz expressed his belief that grass courts level the playing field between him and Alcaraz, as he trusts the way he has been performing at Wimbledon. He stated:

“I think grass is very much so an equalizer, can be an equalizer, so trust in how I’m playing and I truly know the way I played the first two sets today, there’s not much any opponent on the other side can do.”

Fritz, aged 27, has made history this season by becoming the first American to reach three ATP-level semi-finals on grass in a single year. Over his career, he has captured ten ATP Tour singles titles, including a significant Masters 1000 victory at the 2022 Indian Wells Open.

The significance of the Wimbledon semi-final match and what lies ahead for Fritz

Taylor Fritz’s advancement to the semi-final stage at Wimbledon marks an important moment in his career, demonstrating his growth on grass courts and his ability to compete against top-ranked players such as Carlos Alcaraz. The semi-final will test Fritz’s physical and mental resilience, given the demanding five-set format that Courier mentioned as crucial.

This match also represents a critical hurdle before Fritz can aspire to contest the final, where he would likely face either Novak Djokovic or Jannik Sinner, both champions renowned for their consistency and skill. Despite not being favored to win, Fritz’s aggressive offensive style combined with grass court conditions could narrow the gap and allow him to mount a strong challenge.

Going forward, Fritz’s performance in the semi-final will serve as a litmus test for his ability to handle pressure on a grand stage and to execute the specific Wimbledon semi-final strategies that Courier detailed. His success or failure here could shape his trajectory for the remainder of the tournament and influence his status among the leading players on the ATP Tour.

Our Reader’s Queries

Q. What is Taylor Fritz’s height and weight?

A. In an ATP video, Fritz mentioned he has thought about going blonde for years. He finally followed through on a promise he makes at the beginning of each season. Fritz said he asks about it each year at the Australian Open.

Q. How old was Taylor Fritz when he had a child?

A. In January 2017, the Break Point topic person became a parent when his child, Jordan, was born. His wife at that time was Raquel Pedraza. Back then, Taylor was a 19-year-old who was gaining attention in tennis. As of now, he has reached the semi-finals in the 2024 US Open.

Q. How fast is Taylor Fritz’s serve?

A. A new Wimbledon milestone was achieved when a U.S. Open finalist delivered a 153 mph serve. This impressive speed came against unranked French player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard during the first game of their competition on Monday.

Q. How fast can Taylor Fritz serve?

A. How Taylor Fritz managed to return a 153 mph serve at Wimbledon: They have the ability to mentally slow things down. The Athletic provides live updates from Day 7 at Wimbledon 2025, where the speed of the game is striking.

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