|
|
Taylor Fritz at Easter Bowl 2012
© Dave Kenas / Easter Bowl
|
Note: This is one in a continuing series spotlighting members of the Southern California tennis community.
Taylor Fritz has heard it time and time again: He’d be wise to listen to his parents, at least when the topic is tennis.
The soon-to-be 15-year-old Fritz from Rancho Santa Fe is the son of former pro circuit men’s player Guy Fritz and former World Top 10 women’s player Kathy May Fritz. Both are noted tennis instructors and the chief reason why Taylor is considered one of the top players in his age group in all of Southern California.
At the recent 28th Annual Los Caballeros Junior Open Tournament, the current Torrey Pines High student played up in the 16s and as the No. 9 seed advanced to the final, losing to one of his best friends and top-seeded Kalman Boyd, also of Rancho Santa Fe.
Fritz, who has been playing tennis since the age of 2, spends two to three hours a day practicing, but he’ll be the first to tell you it’s not what he loves most about game. “I really don’t like practicing very much,” he said. “I really just love playing tournaments and competing against other people.”
He admits he likes to take a break from the game from time to time and just be a normal teenager, playing video games and hanging out with his friends. Even a former nationally ranked No. 1 player (in the 14s) needs some time away from the game.
“I wan to turn pro, that’s my long-term goal,” he said. “But it all depends on where I’m at when I’m 18.”
As far as a short-term goal, Fritz said he wants to get his ranking up faster than he did in the 14s. “I’m like No. 130 in the 16s in the USTA,” he said. “I really want that to be ranked higher a lot faster than I did in the 14s.”
Fritz, whose father coached fellow Ranch Santa Fe resident Coco Vandeweghe before she hit the pro circuit, was the No. 3 seed at his first Easter Bowl back in April, losing in the Round of 16 to the eventual winner William Blumberg. “The Easter Bowl was really great,” he said. “It was so well run.”
But he admitted the highlight of his year was winning two gold balls, capturing both the singles and the doubles at the Super National Hardcourts in San Antonio. He won the doubles with partner Anudeep Kodali. His first gold ball came at the Clay Court Nationals with Billy Rowe.
Check out the link from a story in the San Diego UT a few years back on the Fritz family:
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2009/jun/18/mz1ez18tenni1979-games-his-blood/