Andy Roddick recently expressed his thoughts about Taylor Fritz revealing that he was sick during the 2025 Davis Cup qualifier second-round tie against the Czech Republic.
At the qualifiers, Team Czech Republic defeated the American team 3-2 to secure a spot in the Davis Cup Final 8, which will be held in Bologna. Other teams joining the Czech Republic in the Final 8 include hosts and defending champions Italy, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, France, Spain, and Germany.
What Did Andy Roddick Say About Taylor Fritz Revealing His Illness During Davis Cup Qualifiers?
During Team USA’s tie against the Czech Republic, Frances Tiafoe lost to Jiří Lehečka with a score of 6-3, 6-2. However, Fritz responded by defeating Jakub Menšík 6-4, 6-3, leveling the score at 1-1. In the only doubles match, Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram secured a 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-4 victory over Tomáš Macháč and Menšík, giving Team USA a 2-1 lead.
Fritz fights back!
He takes the second set against Lehecka 6-4. #DavisCup pic.twitter.com/Kl7SPT7CKY
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) September 14, 2025
Unfortunately, the American team could not capitalize on this lead. Fritz lost his singles match to Lehečka 4-6, 6-3, 4-6, and Tiafoe was defeated by Menšík 6-1, 6-4, allowing the Czech Republic to claim a comeback victory at 3-2.
The crowd welcome the Tiafoe and Fritz to Day 2 of the #DavisCup Qualifiers in Delray Beach 🏝️ pic.twitter.com/geSWC2lS4L
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) September 13, 2025
After the first day of the tie, with the score tied at 1-1, during a press conference, Fritz revealed that he had been dealing with an illness leading up to the tournament.
In a recent episode of the “Served with Andy Roddick” podcast, Roddick commented that Fritz should not have discussed his sickness after the first day of the tie. The former tennis professional believed this strengthened the opposition’s belief that they could defeat the former World No. 4, who was not at full strength, which ultimately happened.
“It’s been tough sledding for the USA team. Bob and Mike on the bag. Taylor wasn’t feeling well. He told us after the first match that he wasn’t feeling well. Maybe you just don’t say that. Maybe cuz you’re going in, you’re playing Fritz on day two. Maybe you know that he’s not feeling well. I don’t know. That can only help, I guess,” Roddick said.
Before representing Team USA in the 2025 Davis Cup qualifiers, Fritz competed at the US Open. He reached the quarterfinals before losing to Novak Djokovic.
Where Will Taylor Fritz Compete Next?
Following the conclusion of his Davis Cup qualifiers campaign, Fritz is set to compete in the 2025 Laver Cup before starting his run in the Asian swing of the Tour.
The eighth edition of the Laver Cup will take place on the indoor hard court at the Chase Center in San Francisco, United States, from Sept. 19 to Sept. 21, 2025.
Fritz is part of Team World along with Alex de Minaur, Francisco Cerúndolo, Alex Michelsen, João Fonseca, and Reilly Opelka. Andre Agassi will serve as the captain, and Pat Rafter will be the vice-captain. Team World will aim to win its third Laver Cup title, while Team Europe will seek to defend its crown.
After the Laver Cup, Fritz will begin the Asian swing of the Tour at the 2025 Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo, which will be held from Sept. 24 to Sept. 30 at the Ariake Coliseum.
In addition to the former World No. 4, players such as Carlos Alcaraz, Jiří Lehečka, Ben Shelton, Kei Nishikori, Holger Rune, and Casper Ruud are expected to participate in the ATP 500 hard-court tournament in Tokyo.
Fritz’s best result in Tokyo came in 2022. He was seeded third, and he began his campaign by defeating James Duckworth (6-2, 6-7(2), 6-1) and lucky loser Hiroki Moriya (6-1, 3-6, 6-4) in the first and second rounds, respectively. He advanced to the semifinals after Nick Kyrgios, his quarterfinal opponent, withdrew from the tournament.
In the final four, Fritz overcame seventh seed Denis Shapovalov (6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3) before defeating his compatriot and fourth seed Frances Tiafoe (7-6(3), 7-6(2)) in the final to claim the title.