Taylor Fritz advances at Wimbledon, turning heads with bold outfit

Taylor Fritz moved into Wimbledon’s third round on July 2 with a 6-2, 6-2, 7-5 win over fellow American Patrick Kypson on No. 2 Court, finishing the match in 2 hours and 2 minutes and striking 19 aces. Fritz closed it out on his fourth match point and raised a right fist after a break that kept him from being dragged into a fourth set or a tiebreaker.

The result kept the sixth-seeded American on pace for a deep run at the grass-court major. Wimbledon’s player page listed Fritz as 28 years old, 6-foot-5 and ranked No. 7 in singles at the tournament, and he was already scheduled to meet Lorenzo Sonego in the next round. Fritz reached the Wimbledon semifinals last year, becoming the first American man there since John Isner in 2018, and the latest win kept him on course for a maiden Grand Slam title.

What drew attention before the first ball was Fritz’s entrance. He came out in a white blazer and NBA-style warmup pants, a look that made him stand out on a day when the tournament’s traditional setting was already carrying extra pageantry. Fritz said afterward that he was glad to finish in three sets and avoid the longer route through the match. He also joked that he is usually more low-key and was trying to copy Frances Tiafoe’s dramatic habit of ripping off warmup pants.

The episode fit a larger pattern in men’s tennis, where top players are increasingly presented as lifestyle brands as well as competitors. Fritz’s clean, efficient victory on court and his stylized walk-on off it gave Wimbledon a two-part story: one about results, and another about presentation.

The All England Club had its own added spectacle with Princess Kate at the grounds, where Reuters said she mingled with crowds and backed British players. Kate, patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club since 2016, added to the sense that Wimbledon is still both a sporting bracket and a public stage. In the men’s draw, Alex de Minaur also moved through efficiently, beating Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in straight sets as the early rounds settled into shape.