Roger Federer’s former coach, Paul Annacone, recently backed American tennis star Taylor Fritz to achieve Grand Slam success in the 2026 season. However, the former World No. 12 also made it clear that he does not see anyone posing a serious threat to the top two, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, in the next season.
Paul Annacone Tips Taylor Fritz for 2026 Success Despite the Dominance of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
Currently ranked World No. 6, Fritz is still in search of his first Grand Slam title. He enjoyed a solid 2025 season, capturing two tour titles and posting a 53-23 win–loss record, but a breakthrough at a Major remained out of reach. His best showing came at Wimbledon, where he reached the semifinals, followed by a quarterfinal run at the US Open.
Meanwhile, Sinner and Alcaraz continued their trademark dominance last season, combining for 14 titles, six claimed by the Italian and eight by the Spaniard. Mirroring the previous year, the pair once again split all four Grand Slam titles, with Sinner successfully defending the Australian Open and capturing his maiden Wimbledon crown, while Alcaraz retained the French Open and went on to lift the US Open trophy.
Although Fritz fell short of capturing a Grand Slam title last season, Annacone believes the breakthrough could come in 2026. Recently, a panel of Tennis Channel experts, including Annacone, former WTA player Coco Vandeweghe, veteran sportscaster Brett Haber, and former American player Victoria Duval, came together to discuss key topics ahead of the new season, one of which centered on their picks for potential Grand Slam winners.
“I’ve got to go with my guy Taylor Fritz. The American looks to be getting more and more comfortable at the top, so if he stays healthy, I see him in the winners circle!” Annacone believes.
It is worth noting that Annacone also serves as a strategic advisor alongside Michael Russell, who spends more time travelling with Fritz. The panel later turned to whether anyone could consistently challenge Sinner and Alcaraz in 2026, a scenario Annacone dismissed, stressing that the rest of the players still have a lot to do to reach their level.
“At the moment, no. They are just better than the rest, and we’ve now seen that play out over multiple seasons. Sure, they will have losses and at times show some vulnerability, but right now there is work to be done to catch them in the consistency department,” he said.
Annacone’s assessment of Alcaraz and Sinner appears justified, especially when Fritz’s record against them is taken into account. The American has often struggled against the top two and will need significant improvement to consistently trouble them. He currently trails 5–1 in the head-to-head against Alcaraz and 4–1 against Sinner.
