Taylor Fritz had an interesting experience at the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning the bronze medal with Tommy Paul in the doubles competition, and he talked a bit about that in Cincinnati.
The American arrived in Paris hoping to experience the Olympics and possibly create some legacy, and he did just that. While he wasn't expected to have a lot of success on clay, compared to if the Games were held on the hard courts, he won the bronze medal by partnering with his long-time friend Paul in the doubles.
They've known each other since they were kids, so it was a very cool moment for them. Both competed in the singles, and Fritz also played in the mixed doubles. However, the bronze from the doubles was the only medal he was able to win, but overall, it was still a great experience for both.
The other part of Fritz's Olympics experience was the living conditions, which have drawn criticism from various sides. The Olympic Village wasn't the best, and it's not a huge secret because quite a few athletes spoke about it.
Plenty of them left to stay in hotels as well, but for Fritz, it was all about the experience, so he stayed, as he revealed to the Tennis Channel at the 2024 Cincinnati Open.
"I think it's a pretty cool experience, to just see all the other athletes. Whoever is around you is one of the best in whatever their respective field."
When it came to living conditions, Fritz lived with seven other athletes in an apartment that had four bedrooms and two showers. The bedrooms had two twin-sized beds, and he stayed in a room with Paul. It wasn't a new experience for them, as they had stayed in rooms together when they were younger.
"I mean, the living conditions aren't the most amazing, you know. Like, Tommy and I split a room—the tiniest room with twin-sized beds. It's definitely not glamorous, but it's an experience."
The partnership worked well on the courts, and they were able to win the bronze medal. In the semi-final, Paul and Fritz lost to John Peers and Matthew Ebden but then defeated Adam Pavlasek and Tomas Machac in the bronze medal match to win a medal.
Part of why it worked so well on the courts is that they worked well as roommates. According to Fritz, Paul makes it really easy because he's a great roommate, while he himself is the more messy one.
"He's actually a great roommate. He's really neat and clean. I was grinding really hard to keep my stuff organized and keep my area under control because I'm pretty messy. It makes me feel bad about it, so I try really hard not to be messy."
After this positive experience in Paris, both will hope to find themselves at the next Olympics as well, especially since the following Olympic Games will be held in Los Angeles.
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