Taylor Fritz Willing To Sacrifice Clay Season if Miami Open Doesn't Deliver Desired Result

Amid injury fears, the former world No. 4 is considering stepping back to fully recover from knee tendinitis.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 9:23am

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Taylor Fritz is set to begin his campaign at the 2026 Miami Open soon. Ahead of the tournament, he revealed that he is willing to sacrifice the clay season if the ATP Masters 1000 hard court tournament does not show 'big improvements.' The former world No. 4 said he is considering stepping back to fully recover from knee tendinitis, which has been affecting his performance for the past year.

Why it matters

Fritz's willingness to skip the clay season to prioritize his recovery highlights the challenges top tennis players face in balancing their health and competitive schedules. Knee tendinitis is a common injury that can significantly impact a player's performance, and Fritz's decision reflects the tough choices athletes sometimes have to make to ensure long-term success.

The details

The 2026 Miami Open will take place from March 17 to March 29, 2026. Fritz, who is seeded seventh, will begin his campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. He will face the winner of the first-round match between Denis Shapovalov and Botic van de Zandschulp in his opening match. Fritz and Shapovalov have met 11 times on the ATP Tour, with the Canadian winning six of those matches. Fritz and van de Zandschulp have met twice, with the Dutchman winning both.

  • The 2026 Miami Open will take place from March 17 to March 29, 2026.
  • Fritz will begin his campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye.

The players

Taylor Fritz

A former world No. 4 tennis player who is currently struggling with knee tendinitis.

Michael Russell

Fritz's coach, who has been working with him on managing his injury.

Denis Shapovalov

A Canadian tennis player who Fritz has faced 11 times on the ATP Tour, with Shapovalov winning six of those matches.

Botic van de Zandschulp

A Dutch tennis player who has faced Fritz twice, with van de Zandschulp winning both matches.

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What they’re saying

“This is kind of the cut-off. We said, after Miami, if we're not seeing big improvements, it might be time to just, like, slow down a bit on the playing and get it healed 100 percent. Because if there was a portion of the season that I think I'd be more okay missing, it would be the clay-court season, like I did last year. I think this week is going to be very telling for it. But, overall, it's not bad.”

— Taylor Fritz

What’s next

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The takeaway

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