American Taylor Fritz says his knee is “definitely improving” after weeks of rehabilitation as he prepares for his opening-round match at the Australian Open on Sunday.

Speaking to Reuters from Melbourne, the big-serving American explained that the right knee issue which troubled him during the United Cup earlier this month is now moving in the right direction following a period focused on strengthening work away from the court.

“As far as my knee goes, it’s been a lot of really good news lately,” Fritz said. “This is something that takes two to four months of really solid rehab, with a lot of off-court exercises to build strength before you start to see improvements.

“It’s not an injury where you just rest and it goes away.”

Fritz added that five weeks of off-season training, combined with additional time working in Melbourne, have begun to pay dividends.

“There are some other things I’m dealing with, but as far as the knee goes, it’s definitely improving,” he said.

The 26-year-old posted a 1–3 record in team competition at the United Cup and has dropped to ninth seed at the Australian Open, where he will face France’s Valentin Royer in the first round on Sunday.

Looking ahead to the season, Fritz identified his return game as a key area for development after relying heavily on his powerful serve throughout last year.

Beyond Melbourne, Fritz is also targeting the MGM Slam exhibition event in Las Vegas on March 1, which offers a $1 million prize pool. The eight-player tournament will be contested in a fast-paced, 10-point tiebreak knockout format at the T-Mobile Arena, home of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights and major boxing events.

“We really wanted to do something in Vegas because there isn’t that much tennis there anymore,” Fritz said. “It’s awesome to have an event that’s fast-paced and exciting.”

The exhibition comes amid ongoing criticism of tennis’s demanding tour schedule, but Fritz said he thrives on a busy calendar.

“For me, as long as I’m healthy, I like to play,” he said. “I usually play my best tennis when I’ve had a lot of matches.”