Fritz, Tiafoe and Shapovalov are the next highlights at the BOSS OPEN
The BOSS OPEN can confirm three more high-profile players alongside defending champion Matteo Berrettini (ITA) and Nick Kyrgios (AUS): Taylor Fritz, the current no. 10 in the world, Frances Tiafoe, fan-favorite world-wide, and Denis Shapovalov have also committed to playing in Stuttgart.
Taylor Fritz's strength on grass is clearly reflected in his track record: the US American celebrated two of his five ATP tournament victories in 2019 and 2022, both in Eastbourne, on grass courts. He also reached his first quarterfinal at a Grand Slam tournament on grass at last year’s Wimbledon edition.
Fritz is known for his spectacular style of play - a strong serve and a powerful forehand putting a lot of pressure on his opponents. "I really enjoy playing on grass and I'm looking forward to starting my grass season at Stuttgart's Weissenhof. Looking forward to Wimbledon, the tournament is an important steppingstone for me", stresses Fritz, whose popularity has literally skyrocketed thanks to his appearance in the Netflix series "Break Point".
Step by step, the 25-year-old is fulfilling the hopes that were placed in him as a youngster. Last year, Fritz won the ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells by defeating Rafael Nadal in the final, thus becoming the first U.S. player since Andre Agassi in 2001 to enter the winners' list of this prestigious tournament. Following the triumph in Tokyo in October 2022, Fritz already picked up his fifth ATP title in Delray Beach in February this year, climbing to position five in the world rankings - the last U.S. player before Fritz in the top five in the ATP rankings was Andy Roddick in September 2009.
Frances Tiafoe, one of the great crowd pleasers on the ATP Tour, will celebrate his Stuttgart premiere this year. The charismatic US American, who is currently ranked eleven in the world, knows better than almost anyone else how to involve the fans during his matches. He has even high-fived fans after spectacular matches. Tiafoe performed exceptionally at the US Open in New York last year, where he reached the semifinals. The two-time ATP tournament winner (Delray Beach/2018, Houston/2023) has also made a name for himself as a team player.
Last season, Tiafoe clinched the decisive victory against Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas to secure the Laver Cup for "Team World". With his compatriot Jack Sock, "Big Foe" also had the upper hand in the doubles against Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at the start of the duel with "Team Europe". After this match, Federer, who had triumphed at Stuttgart's Weissenhof in 2018, announced his retirement as a professional player. Earlier this year, Tiafoe played a major role in the U.S. team's victory at the first edition of the United Cup in Australia with an impressive record of 5-0 match wins in singles.
Denis Shapovalov experienced his finest hour on grass in 2021 when he marched through to the semifinals at Wimbledon, having previously knocked out Andy Murray (GBR), Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) and Karen Khachanov, among others. In the semifinal, the Canadian battled eventual tournament winner Novak Djokovic over three hard-fought sets. “Shapo" already proved his qualities on grass in 2016, when he was crowned Wimbledon junior champion.
"Taylor Fritz has established himself in the top ten of the world rankings and, with his style of play, has all the prerequisites to be successful on grass. Like Frances Tiafoe and Denis Shapovalov, he is one of the most popular players on the ATP Tour among tennis fans. One thing is already certain: thanks to a top line-up, our expert fans in Stuttgart can once again look forward to a first-class tournament at the Weissenhof”, tournament director Edwin Weindorfer is convinced.
