American tennis star Taylor Fritz is the latest athlete to contribute to the relief funds for the wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
Fritz, 27, said Thursday that he is donating the prize money he earned for his first-round win at the Australian Open — about $82,000 — to relief funds.
“I mean, I feel like it’s really the least I can do,” Fritz said.
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Taylor Fritz acknowledges the crowd after his match against Jenson Brooksby in the men’s singles first round at the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. (Mike Frey-Imagn Photos)
Fritz was born in Rancho Santa Fe, California, and is still based in the state.
“Obviously ‘SoCal’ has been my home forever. I still spend a lot of time in LA, but I lived in LA for a while. I’ve touched friends, family not so much. I had family that had to evacuate. The house , which my brothers grew up in, obviously burned down, they don’t live there anymore,” Fritz said after reaching the third round at Melbourne Park 6-2, 6-1. 6-0 win over qualifier Cristian Garín from Chile.
“A lot of people are affected by it. I feel like if you’re in a place to help, you should.”
Authorities have not determined a cause for the large flames in what is shaping up to be the nation’s costliest fire disaster, with at least 27 people 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 Photos)
Fritz is not the only tennis player with ties to the Los Angeles area competing at the Australian Open.
Naomi Osaka, a four-time major champion, said she sent someone to retrieve her 1½-year-old daughter’s birth certificate from their California home in case it was caught in the fires.
Tristan Boyer, a 23-year-old from California who had a first-round win but lost Thursday, said his father had to evacuate their house in Altadena.
“We have friends and family that are homeless now. It’s really, really devastating to see,” Boyer said. “Obviously I’m trying to do what I have to do to prepare and play tennis, but control what I can control at this moment. But it’s probably difficult.”
Taylor Fritz hits a forehand during his match against Cristian Garin in the men’s singles second round at the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. (Mike Frey-Imagn Photos)
Fritz, the no. 4 ranked player in the tournament, takes on Gaël Monfils on Saturday for a place in the fourth round, but his mind will still be on what happens at home.
“I just want everyone to obviously stay safe,” Fritz said.
“It’s just crazy what happened.”
