The third episode of Netflix’s tennis documentary showed how Taylor Fritz got into an argument with coach Paul Annacone before the Indian Wells Masters final against Rafael Nadal as his coach didn’t want him to go out with a potential foot fracture but Fritz defied his coach and other team members.
On the morning of the Indian Wells final against Nadal, Fritz crushed on the practice court after feeling a very sharp pain in his foot. After the doctor on-site did a basic check on Fritz’s foot, he told him and his team that they were maybe dealing with a foot fracture and directly told Fritz that if he was his son, he would advise him not to play that match because going out “could cause more harm than good.” But Fritz took the first injection – returned to the practice court – and that’s when the argument between him and Annacone started.
Annacone: You can’t see it but you are hesitating. This, to me, is a 60% showing of what you can do. Fritz: Let me try. That’s all I’m asking, I’ll pull the plug if it’s not there. Annacone: You want to go out there with 17,000 people...
Fritz: It’s better than not going out there. Annacone: No, not all. Totally not. Fritz: I feel like I’m good enough right now to give it a shot Annacone: Against him (Nadal) in this wind? Fritz: Why the f—- not?
Fritz defied Annacone and other team members
Another member of Fritz’s team asked the American: “Would you be willing to walk on court, play at 60%, and then we get the diagnostics? You made it worse and now you can’t play for maybe one or two months.” Fritz responded: “We are wasting time because I need to get another injection if I’m going to play.” As Fritz was making his way onto taking another injection, someone was heard telling Fritz: “Do you know how many of these I have rehabbed? I have rehabbed 200 of these.
It will make it worse. It will flare you up. You will miss minimum one event, possibly multiple events.” Annacone then made the final plea to Fritz not to go out as he said: “Everything we’re doing is trying to be in your best interest, you know that.” Fritz responded to his team members for one final time.
“I’m sorry I’m stubborn. I know I’m just fighting with you guys. I want to try.” In the end, Fritz ended up stunning Nadal in the Indian Wells final for his first Masters title. Moments after beating Nadal for the biggest moment of his career, Fritz went to his box to hug his team.
While a thrilled Fritz was hugging Annacone, another team member could be heard telling Fritz that he is “a f—— warrior.” Also, Fritz played again just a week after Indian Wells. In the end, everything turned out great for Fritz and coach Annacone.
