Who Are Taylor Fritz's Parents? Tennis Greatness Runs in His Family

"There was never pressure from my parents to play, so I just tried [every sport] until I hit an age where I had to make a decision and pick one."

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Published July 9 2024, 2:41 p.m. ET

Taylor Fritz of the United States arrives for training with his mother Kathy May in preparation for the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon on July 01, 2023, in London, England. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
Source: Getty Images

Taylor with his mom Kathy May in 2023

With all eyes on American tennis pro Taylor Fritz, it's only natural for folks to wonder about where he comes from — including the folks who shaped him.

As in, his actual folks: Who are Taylor's mom and dad?

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Well, Taylor just so happens to be the son of two great tennis players — proving that the apple certainly doesn't fall from the tree. (Or ... the ball doesn't roll far from the court? Sorry, we'll stop.)

More on Taylor's fam below...

Taylor Fritz of the United States holds his winners trophy with his mother former player Kathy May after his straight sets victory against Rafael Nadal of Spain in the men's Final on Day 14 of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 20, 2022 in Indian Wells, California. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Image)
Source: Getty Images

Taylor Fritz with his mom Kathy May in 2022

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Who are Taylor Fritz's parents?

Taylor was born on Oct. 28, 1997, to mom Kathy May (who just so happens to be the great-granddaughter of David May, who founded what is now Macy's department stores) and dad Guy Henry Fritz. And if you recognize their names, it's because they're both big names in tennis.

Kathy, who went pro at only 18 years old, won seven WTA singles titles over the course of her impressive tennis career. She made it to three Grand Slam quarterfinals (one at the U.S. Open in 1978, and two at the French Open in 1977 and 1978) and reached a No. 10 world ranking in 1977. She played pro for six years before retiring at age 24, partially because she was feeling lonely on tour.

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As for Guy, he was a college football player before turning to tennis at age 19, and he eventually became a sought-after coach. In fact, in 2016, Guy received the U.S. Olympic Development Coach of the Year Award for his work in coaching junior tennis.

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Kathy and Guy, who have since divorced, were careful not to pressure their son into their sport of choice, according to Taylor himself. As he told Haute Living in 2023: "I feel like I always had the idea that it was cool to do what your parents did, so I played tennis. And I liked tennis, but to be honest, I went through periods when I was younger where I hated it and didn’t want to play because I enjoyed other sports much more. There was never pressure from my parents to play, so I just tried everything until I hit an age [15] where I had to make a decision and pick one."

Guy Fritz ( Back R) and Kathy May (Front R) mother and father of Taylor Fritz of the United States watch him play against Holger Rune of Denmark in their fourth round match during the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 13, 2024 in Indian Wells, California. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Source: Getty Images

Taylor's dad (in back) and mom (front right) in March 2024

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Why are people talking about Taylor Fritz's mom's face?

Because the internet is the internet, there have recently been some folks online who have publicly posted their opinions about Taylor's mom's face, insinuating she may have had plastic surgery.

But as with most things on the internet, it's best to take things with a grain of salt, and remember that a lot of speculation is just that: speculation. Maybe we should just focus on Kathy's incredible tennis legacy instead.

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