Taylor Fritz picks up another setback after playing Jannik Sinner ahead of the Australian Open

Before the start of the 2026 season, Fritz had spoken about his aim to close the gap on Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. He was handed a chance to hit with Sinner ahead of the Australian Open.

Sinner is chasing his third straight title in Melbourne this year, having already lifted the trophy twice. He took on one of his potential challengers in a practice set, but it was clear early on that Fritz wasn’t up to the task.

It was Sinner who controlled things from start to finish, winning 6-1 without much resistance. Both players appeared to be taking it seriously, adding weight to what happened out there.

And that’s not an encouraging sign for Fritz, who looks quite vulnerable heading into the opening major of 2026.

How soon could Taylor Fritz face Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open?

Even though Fritz’s ranking slide will influence his overall path through the draw, it doesn’t actually change when he could come up against Sinner.

The earliest they can meet is the quarterfinals, but with Sinner having won four of their five matches so far, that’s not a matchup Fritz will be eager to see.

If Fritz does reach the last eight for just the second time in Melbourne, there’s really only one top-four seed he’ll feel good about facing.

Across 22 matches against Alcaraz, Sinner, and Novak Djokovic, he’s only managed two wins. But his record against Alexander Zverev tells a different story: nine wins from 14 meetings, including victories in their last six encounters.

Fritz will learn more about his path once the draw is made on Thursday, January 15th.