The U.S. Open is generating significant buzz, particularly surrounding American tennis player Taylor Fritz.
On September 3, the 26-year-old Fritz advanced to the Grand Slam quarterfinals by defeating Germany’s Alexander Zverev. This marks the first time since 2006 that the United States will have a representative in the finals of the men’s singles tournament. Fritz is set to face fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals on September 6.
Tennis seems to be ingrained in Taylor’s life. Standing at 6 feet, 5 inches tall, he comes from a family with a rich tennis heritage. His mother, Kathy May Fritz, was a professional player until she retired at 24, while his father, Guy Fritz, transitioned from a pro player to coaching.
“I always thought it was cool to do what your parents did, which got me into tennis. I enjoyed it, but to be honest, there were times in my youth when I hated it and preferred other sports,” Taylor reflected in a 2022 interview. “There was never any pressure from my parents, so I explored various sports until I turned 15 and had to choose. Ultimately, I excelled at tennis and decided to focus on it entirely.”
Here’s a closer look at Taylor Fritz’s parents, Kathy May Fritz and Guy Fritz.
Kathy May Fritz
Kathy May Fritz, 68, reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 10 in 1977, as reported by the WTA. Chris Evert, an 18-time Grand Slam champion, reminisced on social media last year, stating, “I’m watching @Taylor_Fritz97 remembering playing his mom, Kathy May in our era. She was a great competitor… like mother, like son.”
Kathy, whose family established Macy’s department stores, grew up in Beverly Hills and turned professional at 18. In an interview with New York Magazine, she shared that she retired at 24 due to the loneliness of life on the tour.
Despite her tennis background, Kathy never aimed to coach her son. “My mom stepped back, but she’s attended tournaments with me, which has worked well. She helped me make significant decisions early on since she had been through it herself. She’s present for practices and matches but generally lets me find my own path,” Taylor told Tennis.com in 2021.
Kathy was previously married to Australian Open champion Brian Teacher and later wed firefighter Donn Paben in 1981, welcoming two sons before their separation. She and Guy, now divorced, raised Taylor in the affluent Rancho Santa Fe area of San Diego.
Guy Fritz
Guy Fritz, a former professional tennis player, coached Taylor to his junior U.S. Open title in 2015 and was honored as the Team USA Developmental Coach of the Year by the USTA that same year. However, the professional coaching relationship between Taylor and Guy has since ended.
In a conversation with New York Magazine, Taylor characterized his father as a “pretty hard critic” of his tennis skills. “I wish that could have been different because I thrive on confidence and positive reinforcement rather than criticism,” Taylor expressed.
Taylor began tennis training at just 2 years old. In discussions with the Desert Sun, Guy revealed that he had Taylor walk on a balance board as a toddler and established a home gym, ensuring his son’s diet was clean and plant-rich. “I did everything I could to help him become a champion,” Guy remarked in 2023. “From the moment he was born, I can’t even recount every detail of what I did.”