The Dallas Challenger final will feature two exciting Americans after Ryan Harrison and Taylor Fritz both won their semi-finals. The deciding match of the tournament has gone completely with the seedings, with both the top and second seed coming through the draw successfully.
Top seed Harrison dismissed Tatsuma Ito 63 60 in one hour and six minutes in the early semi-final. Harrison is ranked at N0.78, his best in more than three years, and is a man in form. He has not dropped a set in this tournament, and had only lost a combined eight games in the quarters and semis, having also won his quarter-final with Marco Trungelliti for the loss of just five games.
Taylor Fritz’s run to the final has been more of a grind, dating back to his second round match with Marcos Giron. He defeated seventh seed Rajeev Ram in impressive fashion in the quarter-finals. He played Denis Kudla in the late semi-final, winnign 64 26 76. Fritz survived a blip in the second set to edge Kudla in the tiebreak to set up the final with Harrison.
The two Americans have met once before, in the qualifying event for the Paris Masters in November 2016, where Harrison edged a tight three-setter.
Harrison was once in Fritz’s position, the heralded champion of the future for American tennis. Harrison’s career has not quite worked out that way, but the twenty-four year-old has at least carved out a successful career, returning to the Top 100 after a lengthy absence following a sustained period of poor form.
Fritz at nineteen, with a position just inside the Top 100 after opting not to defend his Happy Valley title, and falling in the first round of the Australian Open.
My pick: Harrison’s form in this tournament and indeed since their previous meeting in Paris is seriously strong, and as such I cannot look past the top seed for this title.
