American tennis star Taylor Fritz is the latest athlete to contribute to wildfire relief funds in the greater Los Angeles area.
Fritz, 27, said Thursday he would donate the prize money he won for his first-round victory at the Australian Open — about $82,000 — to relief funds.
“I mean, I feel like it’s really the least I could do,” Fritz said.
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Taylor Fritz greets the crowd after his match against Jenson Brooksby in the first round of the men’s singles at the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. (Mike Frey-Imagn Images)
Fritz was born in Rancho Santa Fe, California, and is still based in the state.
“Obviously, ‘SoCal’ has always been my home. I still spend a lot of time in LA, but I’ve lived in LA for quite a while. I have friends affected, but not so much family “Some of my family had to evacuate. The house my brothers grew up in burned down, obviously they don’t live there anymore,” Fritz said after reaching the third round at Melbourne Park with a 6-2 victory. 6-1, 6-0 against qualified Cristian Garín. from Chile.
“A lot of people are affected by it. I feel like if you’re in a position to help, you should.”
Authorities have not determined the cause of the major fires in what is poised to become the nation’s costliest blaze, with at least 27 dead and thousands of homes destroyed.
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Taylor Fritz hits a forehand during his match against Cristian Garin in the second round of the men’s singles at the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. (Mike Frey-Imagn Images)
Fritz isn’t the only tennis player with ties to the Los Angeles area to compete in the Australian Open.
Naomi Osaka, a four-time major champion, said she had sent someone to collect her 1 1/2-year-old daughter’s birth certificate from her California home in case she was caught in the fires.
Tristan Boyer, a 23-year-old Californian who won in the first round but lost Thursday, said his father had to evacuate their home in Altadena.
“We have friends and family members who are now homeless. It’s just really devastating to see,” Boyer said. “Obviously, I’m trying to do what I need to do to prepare and play tennis, but control what I can control right now. But it’s definitely difficult.”
Taylor Fritz hits a forehand during his match against Cristian Garin in the second round of the men’s singles at the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. (Mike Frey-Imagn Images)
Fritz, the fourth player in the tournament, will face Gaël Monfils on Saturday for a place in the fourth round, but his mind will always be on what is happening at home.
“I just want everyone to obviously stay safe,” Fritz said.
“It’s just insane what happened.”
