American tennis player Taylor Fritz is donating his first-round Australian Open prize money to relief funds aiding those affected by the devastating wildfires in Southern California. The player expresses his commitment to helping those impacted by the fires, sharing personal stories of friends and family affected.
American tennis player Taylor Fritz announced on Thursday that he would be donating the prize money he earned for his first-round victory at the Australian Open , approximately $82,000, to relief funds supporting those affected by the devastating wildfires in Southern California. Fritz, who reached the semifinals at the U.S. Open last year and is seeded No. 4 in Australia, expressed his desire to contribute to the recovery efforts.
'I mean, I feel like it’s really the least I can do,' said Fritz, who hails from Rancho Santa Fe, California, and maintains his residence there. 'Obviously 'SoCal' has been my home forever. I still spend a lot of time in LA, but I lived in LA for quite a while. I have friends impacted; family not so much. I had some family have to evacuate. The house that my brothers grew up in burnt down. Obviously, they’re not living there anymore,' he revealed after advancing to the third round at Melbourne Park with a convincing 6-2, 6-1, 6-0 victory over qualifier Cristian Garín of Chile. The wildfires, which have ravaged Southern California in recent weeks, have tragically claimed at least 25 lives and destroyed thousands of homes. The causes of the blazes are still under investigation. Fritz's donation comes amidst growing concerns about whether the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Fire Department adequately prepared for the destructive Palisades Fire. Other tennis players have also been impacted by the California wildfires. Four-time Grand Slam champion, who was born in California, revealed that she had sent someone to retrieve her 1 1/2-year-old daughter's birth certificate from their California home due to the fire threat. Tristan Boyer, a 23-year-old Californian player who won his first-round match but lost on Thursday, shared that his father had to evacuate their house in Altadena. 'We have friends and family who are homeless now. It’s really, really devastating to see,' Boyer said. 'Obviously trying to do what I need to do to prep and play tennis, but control what I can control in this moment. But it’s hard for sure.' Fritz will face French veteran Gael Monfils on Saturday for a place in the fourth round in Australia.
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