Taylor Fritz Explains His Beef With Arthur Rinderknech

Taylor Fritz discussed his rivalry with Arthur Rinderknech in an interview on the Tennis Channel.

Taylor Fritz explained what happened after his match at Wimbledon. / Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

Taylor Fritz is the first to admit he is a chill guy. However, you will not beat him at tennis if you make him mad. The results speak for themselves, according to the World No. 13 player.

Fritz made headlines yesterday for the trash talk he exchanged with Arthur Rinderknech after their second round match at Wimbledon. It was a very uncharacteristic moment for the laid-back California kid.

When the two players met at the net, Fritz told Rinderknech to "have a nice flight home" before adding, "You know what you did." The day before their match, Rinderknech said Fritz "cried" and "whined" during their 2023 match at Roland Garros.

Fritz participated in an interview on the Tennis Channel where he explained what happened with the post-match handshake. Fritz reiterated what we all had seen on camera before he added his personal perspective.

Taylor Fritz on the handshake moment. 👀 #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/ZLRr3KI8dc

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) July 5, 2024

"I'm just a really chill guy. I don't have issues with anybody, so it's pretty surprising when I'm seeing like, getting tagged in all this stuff. Like, just randomly, he starts taking some jabs at me before the match. So, if you do that, like, I don't know. Don't expect me to be nice after the match."

When asked what emotions he felt during the match, Fritz answered, "I've never lost a match where someone's upset me during the match or before the match, ever. So, I think the results should speak for itself. I feel like that extra motivation always helps me play better."

Fritz will face Alejandro Tabilo in the third round of Wimbledon on Saturday, July 6. Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport.

Further Reading: Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul agree on the tennis player with the worst driving skills.