Respected tennis coach Brad Gilbert has expressed confusion regarding Taylor Fritz‘s decision to take a comfort break during his recent match against Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon. Fritz, who had just secured a crucial second set victory, ultimately lost to Alcaraz in four sets, ending his bid to reach the final. Alcaraz’s win marks another step towards his goal of completing a three-peat at Wimbledon, having won the tournament the previous two years.
In the semi-final match held on July 11, 2025, Fritz initially lost the first set 6-4 but rallied to capture the second set 7-5. Just as the momentum appeared to shift in his favor, Fritz decided to step off the court. Gilbert, who has coached notable players like Andy Roddick and Andy Murray, criticized this choice on social media, stating, “I’m old school. Don’t understand leaving the court after winning a set; usually, 95% of the time it’s the player losing the set that takes the comfort break.”
The decision seemed to impact Fritz’s performance as he returned to lose the third set 6-3. Despite having a chance to push the match to a deciding set, he fell short in a tiebreak during the fourth set. Following the match, Alcaraz acknowledged the challenge posed by Fritz, saying, “It was a really difficult match as always when I have to play against Taylor. Even tougher with the conditions, it was really hot today.”
Alcaraz’s victory sets him up for a final clash against Jannik Sinner on Sunday. Sinner reached this stage by defeating Novak Djokovic in his semi-final match. Their upcoming match is highly anticipated, especially after both players delivered outstanding performances during the French Open earlier this year.
Despite being ranked World No. 2 and dominating at Wimbledon over the last three years, Alcaraz admitted to feeling nervous before the semi-final. “I’m just really happy with everything that I’ve done today. I dealt with the nerves; playing here in a semi-final is not easy. I’m really proud of the way I stayed calm and thought clearly,” he stated.
Looking ahead, both Alcaraz and Sinner are being hailed as potential successors to tennis legends Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Djokovic. However, British tennis player Dan Evans cautioned against premature comparisons. He pointed out that Sinner and Alcaraz need to secure numerous Grand Slam titles before they can be compared to the achievements of the current generation. “They are doing great at the moment, but they need to keep this up and their bodies have to stay fit for a long time before they can start thinking about winning the number of Slams Novak has won,” Evans remarked.
As anticipation builds for the final, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if Alcaraz can continue his winning ways or if Sinner will seize the opportunity for his first major title.
