Paul reached the Australian Open quarter-finals last month, losing out to world number two Alexander Zverev in four sets.

Following his Melbourne exit, Paul made his top-ten debut and currently sits ninth in the rankings,

American number one Fritz didn’t enjoy the best of tournaments at the Australian Open but had already secured a title down under.

Fritz helped Team USA win the United Cup in Sydney, as they took down a Polish squad led by Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek in the final.

With the top two American players in fine form ahead of next month’s Masters 1000 tournaments in the United States, Paul took the time to share his thoughts on what makes his compatriot so dangerous.

Tommy Paul says Taylor Fritz’s competitiveness is his ‘secret weapon’

Appearing as a guest on the Nothing Major podcast, Paul explained what Fritz can do that has helped him break into the world’s top five.

“I think that is a secret weapon of his,” he said.

“He doesn’t look like the toughest guy ever but he plays through everything.

“We all know the kind of schedule he plays, you are definitely not feeling good for most of those events if you are playing all that schedule.

“He is tough.

“I like to think he is one of the best competitors on court right now; I don’t think that is an exaggeration at all.”

Fritz played 76 matches on the ATP Tour in 2024, more than six members of the year-end top ten.

Paul took longer than some of his fellow Americans to make his breakthrough at the highest level, something he now has an explanation for.

“I wasn’t mature enough,” he said.

“Straight up, I wasn’t going to these tournaments to win.

“I knew from a young age I was really good but I didn’t know what it took to win.

“You can’t go into these tournaments without confidence and beat these good players.

“Maybe you win one match but it’s about stringing matches together, going in there and taking care of matches throughout a whole week.

“I think that was the main thing that changed.”

Having first appeared at a Major tournament in New York back in 2016, Paul finally secured his first win at a Major five years later at the 2020 Australian Open.

Paul beat Argentinian Leonardo Mayer in the first round before producing a big upset in the second, as he knocked out former world number three Grigor Dimitrov in a five-set thriller.

He won his first ATP title the year after in Stockholm before adding three more in 2024, including the biggest of his career at Queen’s.

What happened when Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz played doubles together at the Olympics?

While the pair have enjoyed plenty of singles success over the past 12 months, it was in the doubles where they shared a particularly memorable moment in Paris last year.

Paul and Fritz teamed up for the Olympic doubles tournament as the duo looked to bring home a medal for their country.

They eased through the opening two rounds at Roland Garros, knocking out the Canadian and Dutch teams without dropping a set.

• 1R – Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul beat Felix Auger-Aliassime and Milos Raonic, 7-6, 7-6
• 2R – Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul beat Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Roger, 6-3, 6-4

The Americans were then handed the tough task of taking on a retiring Andy Murray, who was partnered alongside Dan Evans.

Parisian fans willed the British pair on, but they were no match for their opponents as they lost in straight sets, 2-6, 4-6.

Fritz and Paul then fell to defeat in their semi-final match with Australia’s Matthew Ebden and John Peers, as their hopes of Olympic Gold went up in smoke.

The Bronze medal match offered them a chance for redemption, however, as the Czech duo of Tomas Machac and Adam Pavlasek stood between them and a place on the podium.

Battling to a 6-3, 6-4 victory, the Americans secured Olympic Bronze for their country with a memorable display.

Regardless of what happens in the remainder of their tennis careers, they will never forget the time they won their first Olympic medal together in Paris.

Paul and Fritz are set to return to the court for the Acapulco ATP 500 event in Mexico later this month.