Fourth seed Taylor Fritz has pledged his first-round prize money from the Australian Open to assist victims of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.
The fires, which began on January 7, have claimed at least 25 lives and are being described as the most destructive in the city’s history.
Following his straight-sets victory over Chilean qualifier Cristian Garin on Thursday, Fritz confirmed that he would donate his 132,000 Australian dollars (£67,000) prize to relief efforts.
The 27-year-old, who considers Southern California his home, made the gesture as a way to contribute to recovery efforts for the region.
After his win, Fritz showed his solidarity by writing “LA” with a heart symbol on a camera lens, further emphasizing his connection to the city.
The American, who reached the US Open final last year, is now focused on his campaign in Melbourne while lending his support to the victims back home.
