Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz had somewhat of a tense handshake at Wimbledon, and an explanation is starting to emerge.
Fritz, the 26-year-old American, rebounded from losing the first two sets Monday to come back and beat Zverev and make it to the quarterfinal of the major.
After the match, Zverev admitted that he had been frustrated with members of Fritz’s box, who “may not be from the tennis world.”
In an on-court interview after his comeback, Fritz was asked about the tense handshake.
“It’s all good,” Fritz said, noting that Zverev thought Fritz’s circle was being insensitive about an injury.
“He, with his knee, it felt like in the fifth set he wasn’t moving as well. I just wished him the best.”
Fritz’s girlfriend, Morgan Riddle, alluded to cheering loudly for her boyfriend in a post on her Instagram story after the match.
In one slide, Riddle posted a photo of the court with the caption, “Cheer loud ladies.”
Riddle posted a second slide in which she was dancing and sipping a drink, with the caption, “When ur mans wins for the girls.”
Previously in the on-court interview, Fritz was asked about the support of the team around him in his box, and answered it with a deadpan joke.
“My team has always given me so much support and love, but I mean most of the time I was looking up to them I was complaining about something,” Fritz laughed.
“But I mean it’s great to have them here, and this week or two we’ve been at Wimbledon it’s been a great team experience.”
Fritz plays Italian Lorenzo Musetti in the quarterfinal on Wednesday.
