'Affecting A Lot': Fritz Details Olympics Struggles Amid Eligibility Requirements

| by Zachary Wimer

2024 will be a special tennis season because the Olympics are part of it, and it's affecting the schedule a lot according to Taylor Fritz.

Besides the obvious implications of extending the season by a week or two, the competition also forces players to do some things that they wouldn't usually do. The rules are clear, and you can't just waltz into the Olympic Games; there are some things you need to have on your resume to be able to play.

Besides the ranking, players also need to have played for their country in the team competitions, which is a bit annoying for Fritz because he will have to play in the Davis Cup after the Australian Open when he would have preferred to have that week off.

Asked about the Olympics during his stay in Perth for the United Cup, Fritz lamented the requirements while reiterating his desire to play for the United States at the competition.

Djokovic Named L'Equipe's Men's Champion Of Champions For A Second Time
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Yeah, for me, it's honestly affecting a lot, because it's affecting more weeks than just the Olympics for me. Because basically I do want to play, but I'm forced to go play now a Davis Cup tie after Australia in, I believe it's in Lithuania, when I played so much last year I really would love that week off. But I have to play to be allowed to play Olympics, which I think is kind of, I don't know about that rule.

As you can tell from his response, Fritz isn't particularly thrilled by those eligibility requirements, but that's to be expected. The ruling doesn't benefit him, so obviously, he's going to feel some kind of way about it. He's not the only one who faces those troubling circumstances.

Some other players like Rafael Nadal and Emma Raducanu face the same prospect, so it's just something that players will have to endure. For the Olympics, it's about protecting the integrity of the games.

Djokovic Named L'Equipe's Men's Champion Of Champions For A Second Time
Djokovic Named L'Equipe's Men's Champion Of Champions For A Second Time

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