Taylor Fritz Makes it a Perfect Day for American Tennis - UBITENNIS

Taylor Fritz Makes it a Perfect Day for American Tennis

By Kingsley Elliot Kaye
5 Min Read

The 9th seed eases past Dominic Stricker in three sets, 76 64 64, and reaches his first quarter final at the US Open joining Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe

At last Taylor Fritz fulfils his long-coveted dream of being a lead actor in the home slam. And he did show it, in a very emotional moment after he fully realized what he had accomplished.

I wasn’t thinking too much about the moment or the occasion, that it’s for the quarters. So obviously I win and then I kind of realize what the win means. Of course, that was a very tight match. I feel like if I don’t serve it out there, who knows what happens. It’s also a release of, like, the stress and the pressure’s gone because the match is over. Yeah, it’s a whole combination of emotions.

Winning the first set, a very tight set, was key. Dominic Stricker was playing his way, alternating wondrous winners and unforced errors. After dropping serve, in the eighth game, doublefaulting twice, he was able not only to bounce back, immediately counterbreaking, but to earn to break points at 5-5 with two cannonball forehands, the first down the line, and the second cross court while moving in. Fritz survived the scare with adamant serving and went on to win the tiebreak.

He never let go the reins of the match. A break lead was enough to secure the second set. 64. Stricker appeared to be struggling physically in the third, the six matches played in New York taking their toll. He went on battling, though, until he was broken at 4 all. Taylor Fritz served the match out impeccably, to enjoy the greatest accomplishment of his career.  

I’m really happy. I feel like from the ground I’ve been playing good tennis all week. Then I feel like in the second and third set today, serve started coming together. I feel like how I closed out the match, like the last two sets, I feel like my serve started feeling like the best it’s felt. Yeah, just in time I feel like everything’s coming together.

18 years ago was the last three home players reached the quarter finals of the Us Open. In 2005 Robbie Ginepri, Andre Agassi and James Blake were all on the same side of the draw, just like this year. Of the three, it was Agassi who would enjoy the longest run: he defeated Blake in the quarters and Ginepri in the semis. He lost the final, in four sets, to Roger Federer. This year it will not be easy for an American to get through to the final stage, with Novak Djokovic looming.

The Serbian will be the next opponent of Taylor Fritz, who very recently in Cincinnati suffered a painful thrashing 60 64. But many will remember that great match in the third round of the Australian Open 2021, when he lost 7-6, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2 stretching Novak to the utmost.

Taylor Fritz is aware of the challenge ahead of him, but feels he’s got his chances.

I feel ready to now play my best tennis that I’ve played in the next match, and obviously I’m going to need it. I think I need to play within myself and trust that if I’m playing well, then that’s going to be enough.

Novak’s Novak. It’s tough. I said it on court: he’s gotten me seven times. There’s no one on tour that has any kind of a record like that against me, so I’m hoping one of these times I’ve got to get him. US Open quarters would be a pretty good time to get him.

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