American tennis star Taylor Fritz has pledged to donate his prize money from his first-round victory at the Australian Open to relief funds for the wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area. Fritz, 27, was born in Rancho Santa Fe, California, and still resides in the state. He explained that he felt it was the “least he could do” to contribute to the relief efforts, given his connection to the area and the impact the wildfires have had on his friends and family.
Fritz’s decision to donate comes as authorities have not yet determined the cause of the major blazes, which have left at least 27 people dead and thousands of homes destroyed. Tennis players with connections to the Los Angeles area who are competing at the Australian Open, including Naomi Osaka and Tristan Boyer, have also expressed their support for the relief efforts.
Fritz, who will take on Gaël Monfils on Saturday for a berth in the fourth round, has said that his mind will be on the situation back home and hopes for everyone to stay safe. His donation of $82,000 in prize money will go towards the relief funds.
