Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev have set up a blockbuster quarterfinal showdown at the 2026 Wimbledon Championships, with a coveted spot in the semifinals of the grass-court Major on the line.
Beyond the revival of their tennis rivalry, the match also carries a personal angle as both players are devoted fathers. Here is everything to know about Fritz’s son, Jordan, and Zverev’s daughter, Mayla, ahead of their highly anticipated meeting.
Everything to Know About Taylor Fritz’s Son, Jordan
Fritz married his high school sweetheart, Raquel Pedraza, in California in 2016 after proposing in front of the Eiffel Tower. The couple welcomed their son, Jordan, in January 2017, when the American was just 19.
After Jordan’s birth, Pedraza stepped back from her professional tennis career to focus on raising their son, and Fritz credited her for allowing him to prioritize his career by handling the bulk of the parenting duties.
“Nothing’s really changed at all for me. My wife’s been handling everything. She handles all of the off-court stuff so I can be on court more than I was before. You know, my life really hasn’t changed too much because of how my wife has really stepped up. She’s really just, she’s really just doing everything she can for me and for my tennis,” Fritz said in a press conference at the 2017 Indian Wells Masters.
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However, the couple divorced in 2019 after three years of marriage. Since then, Jordan has primarily lived with Pedraza while Fritz has continued to travel extensively for his tennis career.
This has taken a toll on the American, as evidenced by his emotional admission in the Netflix tennis documentary series “Break Point” in 2023 that he was unable to spend as much time with his son as he would like.
“I have a son that I don’t get to see near as much as I’d like. As it stands right now, I just have to try to see him as much as I possibly can,” he said.
The challenge of balancing fatherhood with his career has also come up during his campaign at this year’s grass-court Major. Following his first-round win, Fritz opened up about not being able to bring Jordan along to tournaments.
“I think for me it’s just really tough to be away. I have to travel and play, and I try to just make the most of the time that I can spend with my son when I’m home, and do the best I can just Facetiming and all that,” he said during a press conference at Wimbledon.
“And I would absolutely love to be able to bring him on the road and have him travel with me, but there’s just certain things that are stopping that from happening. So, it’s not really up to me,” he added.
Despite the distance created by his demanding schedule, Fritz makes the most of his opportunities to be with the nine-year-old when he has time off from the tour, occasionally sharing adorable glimpses of their time together.
Meet Alexander Zverev’s Daughter, Mayla
Unlike Fritz, Zverev has regularly brought his daughter, Mayla, to tournaments this season. The German welcomed his first child, a daughter, in March 2021 with his ex-girlfriend, Brenda Patea. Although the pair split before Mayla was born and initially clashed over custody, they have since established a co-parenting arrangement.
While the reigning French Open champion enjoys having the five-year-old by his side at tournaments, he remains very protective of her privacy.
“I try to keep her away from the spotlight. I want her to be a normal child, growing up with a normal life. I try to keep her out of social media, all the Instagrammie stuff. It’s nice that she comes more and more,” he told the press at the Mexican Open.
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Mayla has also developed a touching bond with Zverev’s girlfriend, Sophia Thomalla. The pair was spotted sharing a heartwarming moment in the stands while cheering the world No. 3 on at the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle shortly before Wimbledon.
In a recent interview with RTL+, the world No. 3 opened up about wanting more children but emphasized that the timing is entirely up to Thomalla as he refuses to put any pressure on her.
“You’ll have to ask Sophia that. I love children, I love huge families, I love dogs. There will be more dogs,” he said. “I think it’ll be normal for one of us to have to cut back a bit. Otherwise, with children and our jobs, we’ll never see each other again. But I’m not putting any pressure on her at all.”
On the tennis front, No. 6 seed Taylor Fritz will have a major advantage heading into his quarterfinal clash with No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev at Wimbledon, enjoying a seven-match winning streak against the world No. 3. The winner of their much-awaited encounter will face either No. 9 seed Flavio Cobolli or home favorite Arthur Fery in the semifinals.
