Taylor Fritz has advanced to the final of the Dallas Open, setting up a highly anticipated all-American clash against Ben Shelton. This achievement comes shortly after his exit from the 2026 Australian Open, where physical issues were a major problem for the World No. 7.
Despite his success in Texas this week, fans are always worried about the American, with questions regarding his decision to compete while managing injuries always there. In a recent interview, the top-ranked American addressed these concerns, offering his perspective on how he manages his health in between tournaments.
Taylor Fritz Addresses Participating in Tournaments Amid Medical Concerns
Fritz reached the championship match after defeating Marin Čilić in straight sets on Saturday. While his performance has been dominant, his physical health is always in the conversation. In his fourth-round defeat in Melbourne, he struggled with recurring knee and oblique injuries, which made many observers expect him to rest.
Instead, he is in Dallas, sparking debate among fans who worry he is risking his long-term fitness by playing too soon.
Fritz responded to this criticism, saying, “There are times when it’s been completely valid. Like, if I look back at last year, I had an oblique injury right around this time. It happened after the Australian Open, and I should not have played maybe here, and I should not have played Delray the next week. I went to Acapulco and then pulled out there. I shouldn’t have gone there. So, yeah, there’ve been times for sure where I’ve made the wrong call with it.”
The events he mentioned are from Feb. 2025, when Fritz played the Dallas Open and then attempted to defend his title at the Delray Beach Open the following week, despite suffering an oblique injury in Melbourne just weeks ago. He eventually lost in the quarterfinals, but the injury then forced him to withdraw from the Mexican Open in Acapulco before his opening match.
Regarding his current situation in 2026, Fritz clarified that his knee injury requires a different approach than his previous oblique issues. “I think the main concern, obviously, for a long time has been my knee. It’s not something that gets better with rest, stand by this, like, you need to just work through it,” he explained.
“If I wasn’t playing, I’d be doing all the same: Rehab, strengthening stuff that I am doing here before all my practices and everything, so, I trust my physio, and we think that he can get better while I’m still playing tournaments.”
He emphasized that he feels the decision to play this week was correct because the injury is not affecting his performance. “If it’s something that I can play through, and I think I’m moving really, really well in the quarter to the guy. I don’t think it’s. It’s something that’s hindering me this week, so I feel good about that decision.”
Despite his confidence, Fritz concluded by validating the perspective of outsiders who worry about his longevity. “Yeah, I feel like I could play through, and it’s noted. I think I’d be annoyed too, as a fan, just probably seeing someone who should probably just pull out. It seemed like they’re always severe.”
Fritz’s Path to the Championship Match in Dallas, Texas
The 2026 season has tested Fritz’s durability and resilience since the start. His year began in Perth for the United Cup, where he won just one out of the four matches he played in total. Despite being one of the highest-ranked players in the event, he struggled significantly, losing to Sebastian Baez, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Hubert Hurkacz, while securing his only win against Jaume Munar.
He then came to Melbourne for the Australian Open, where he navigated the early rounds before succumbing to physical limitations in the fourth round against Lorenzo Musetti. In that match, Fritz struggled with knee and oblique issues, ultimately falling 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 to the Italian.
However, Fritz chose to return to competition immediately in Dallas, and his path to the final has been anything but easy, requiring him to overcome significant challenges. In the quarterfinals, he survived a scare against compatriot Sebastian Korda, battling through sharp pain after an awkward movement to secure a tight 6-7(2), 6-4, 7-6(5) victory.
Despite the alarm, he recovered sufficiently to produce a masterclass in serving in the semifinals against Marin Čilić.
He will now face an American for the fourth time out of his five matches in Texas, World No. 9 Shelton, who beat Denis Shapovalov in the semifinals to secure his final berth. Both players are 1-1 in their head-to-head records, and it would be interesting to see who lifts the trophy before the major tournaments of the season.
