Taylor Fritz's winning formula: sticking to routines like commemorating titles with In-N-Out Burger

TC Live: Roddick on Fritz's BNP Paribas Open title run

Taylor Fritz is a man of routines.

When he was 17 and nabbed his first title on the ATP Challenger Tour, the SoCal native celebrated with In-N-Out Burger.

Seven years later, after raising his first Masters 1000 trophy at Indian Wells, Fritz started off his festivities in the same manner.

“I did a lot of media stuff for a couple hours. It was getting pretty late. First stop was to In-N-Out,” he shared during his pre-tournament press conference in Miami.

“Drove back to L.A. It's a Sunday night, but I wanted to go out and celebrate. Champagne, all that. Got there pretty late, so had kind of like a half celebration. Had to wake up early the next morning to get my ankle MRI'ed.”

The referenced ankle initially became a concern at the end of his BNP Paribas Open victory over Andrey Rublev in the semifinals. The following morning, the American cut his first practice short after experiencing throbbing pain, yet found a way to overrule all three members of his team. The result was stepping up to the plate to hand Rafael Nadal his first loss of 2022 (the Spaniard would later reveal he was also playing through an injury, enduring a rib fracture).

Fritz said, “The MRI was really positive or else I wouldn't be here,” though admitted he’s not in the clear by any means.

“The way I pinched my ankle in the semis, it got extremely inflamed, a lot of fluid filled up in the joint. It made it almost impossible for me to move it in certain ways and push off,” he reflected.

“The process now is just trying to get the inflammation down. I'll have a hit. It feels right now a lot like it felt before the finals, where I can walk and I think it's fine.

“That's kind of how it feels right now.”

As far as his week goes, Fritz will test it out on the practice court and stick to the processes that have carried him to a career-high No. 13 ranking. It’s simple, like his go-to meal before a match—steak and potatoes.

Here’s what Fritz’s involves based on his description in press:

The Night Before

· Eat the same meal

· Read

· Fall asleep early while watching something on the computer

Pre-Match

· Warm up 2.5 hours ahead of his match

· Come off court 2 hours before its due to start.

· Immediately eat, shower and change into competition attire

Fritz explains, “I think it gives me a lot of relief. Keeps me calm before a match if I'm always doing the same thing.

“You don't change a winning strategy.”