All posts tagged: Fritz

US Open: OG ‘Next Gen’ Taylor Fritz living the American dream as he sets up final date with Jannik Sinner | Tennis News

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In 2017, men’s tennis went through a moment it did not anticipate. As Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, two of the sport’s most captivating figures, made an unlikely comeback to the sport’s summit, the powers that be had already put a transition in motion. Desperate to retain viewership and prestige, it anointed the leading group of younger players as the ‘Next Gen’, a new vehicle for those aged under 21, hoping to make household names of the generation that will take the reins from its aging stars. Seven years later, as unlikely as it has been for Federer, Nadal, and Novak Djokovic to maintain their grip on the sport, the serial underperformance of the original class of ‘Next Gen’ has been equally implausible. Only one of them, Daniil Medvedev, has won a Major. He is also the only one of them that has maximised his talent enough to be ranked World No 1. Instead, there have been a series of disappointments — three of them have lost a Grand Slam final from a two-sets lead …

Taylor Fritz Sets Up US Open Final Clash With Jannik Sinner

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Taylor Fritz celebrates after beating Frances Tiafoe in the US Open semi-finals.© AFP Taylor Fritz fought back to defeat compatriot Frances Tiafoe at the US Open on Friday, becoming the first American man to reach a Grand Slam final in 15 years. Fritz, the world number 12, won 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 and will take on top-ranked Jannik Sinner for the title on Sunday. Topics mentioned in this article Taylor Fritz US Open 2024 Tennis Source link

Taylor Fritz, Emma Navarro Into US Open Semi-Finals As Home Hopes Soar

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Taylor Fritz and Emma Navarro reached their first Grand Slam semi-finals at the US Open on Tuesday, boosting home hopes of a double American title party this weekend. The 12th-seeded Fritz won a big-hitting battle against fourth-seeded 2020 runner-up Alexander Zverev of Germany 7-6 (7/2), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3). He will face either American compatriot Frances Tiafoe or Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria for a place in Sunday’s final. Navarro, playing in front of her home New York crowd, also broke through to a maiden Slam semi-final by defeating Paula Badosa of Spain 6-2, 7-5 after trailing 5-1 in the second set. The 13th seed will tackle second-ranked Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka who demolished China’s Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen 6-1, 6-2 for a spot in Saturday’s championship match. Zverev’s defeat means world number one Jannik Sinner is the only top-four player left in the men’s draw following the shock early exits of Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. “I have had a few looks at Grand Slam quarter-finals over the years so I …

Novak Djokovic Outlasts Taylor Fritz To Reach 11th Australian Open Semi-Final

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Novak Djokovic defied fierce heat and a battling performance from Taylor Fritz on Tuesday to reach the Australian Open semi-finals and stay on track for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title. The Serbian world number one struggled with the conditions early in the contest but came through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 and will play Jannik Sinner or Andrey Rublev for a place in Sunday’s final. “It was extremely hot when the sun was still out there,” Djokovic said after the match at Rod Laver Arena, which stretched to three hours and 45 minutes. “Physically and emotionally very draining. Huge round of applause to Fritz for a great performance today and this tournament. “ Conversion of the break points was really poor, but I think at the end of the day I managed to break him when it really mattered, the third and the fourth.” The win was Djokovic’s 33rd consecutive victory in Melbourne, a startling run stretching back to 2018. He did not compete at the event in 2022 due to his coronavirus vaccination status.  The 36-year-old …

Eighth Seed Taylor Fritz Out Of Melbourne To Tearful Wildcard Alex Popyrin

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Australian Open: Taylor Fritz lost to Alex Popyrin© AFP Eighth seed Taylor Fritz became the latest top name to tumble out of the Australian Open on Thursday, ousted in round two by wildcard local hope Alex Popyrin who was in tears at the end. The American Fritz, who had a breakthrough 2022 with titles at Indian Wells, Tokyo and Eastbourne, fell in five gruelling sets at a partisan John Cain Arena. Australia’s Popyrin prevailed 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 6-2. The opening Grand Slam of the year has now lost three of its top 10 seeds before the third round, with Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud also crashing out early. “This is a dream and I don’t want to wake up at all,” said Popyrin, who equalled his best Grand Slam result and was reduced to tears by the crowd chanting his name. “Pre-season I put my head down and worked as hard as I possibly could… I’m going to keep working. I love this feeling and I want more of this feeling.” …

Winning Taylor Fritz Defies “Netflix Curse” At Australian Open

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Taylor Fritz hits a return during his men’s singles match at Australian Open on January 17, 2023.© AFP American Taylor Fritz dispelled any notion of a “Netflix curse” at the Australian Open on Tuesday, even as it claimed another high-profile victim. Nick Kyrgios, Paula Badosa and Ajla Tomljanovic all pulled out of the Grand Slam with injury — all three are featured in the new Netflix documentary series “Break Point”. So too does Italy’s 13th seed Matteo Berrettini, who promptly lost to British veteran Andy Murray in the first round in Melbourne on Tuesday. But Fritz, who is also in the fly-on-the-wall series, defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia and afterwards dismissed any light-hearted social media talk of a supposed curse. “I noticed the people pulling out of the tournament but I didn’t know it was a thing,” said the 25-year-old. “I’m not going to lose my first-round match because I’m in the Netflix show, so I didn’t think about that.” Fritz defeated Basilashvili 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 and faces either Australian Alexei Popyrin or Taiwan’s …

Taylor Fritz Beats Matteo Berrettini As USA Win Inaugural United Cup

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World number nine Taylor Fritz battled past Italian Matteo Berrettini with a powerhouse performance to steer the United States to the inaugural mixed teams United Cup title in Sydney on Sunday. Frances Tiafoe and Jessica Pegula both won their singles rubbers to give their country a 2-0 lead with Fritz delivering victory by winning 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (8/6). Madison Keys made it a clean-sweep 4-0 with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Lucia Bronzetti. “It’s amazing for the team to win this event, we came in with really high hopes,” said Fritz. “Really happy to be in the position to clinch the match. The emotions when you win are amazing. “We had a lot of team bonding this week,” he added. “When we combine the guys and girls from the US we are so deep through the rankings it just makes team so much stronger.” The dominant United States crushed the Iga Swiatek-led Poland 5-0 to make the decider of the new tournament — which began with 18 nations playing round robin matches in Perth, Brisbane …

Taylor Fritz Blasts Past Hubert Hurkacz To Put USA Into United Cup Final

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A composed Taylor Fritz downed Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in a battle of top 10 players Saturday to power the United States into the final of the inaugural United Cup, where they will meet Italy or Greece. The world number nine was too good for his big-serving opponent, ranked one place behind him, winning 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/5) at Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney. Fritz came into the match with the United States already 2-0 ahead in the tie after Jessica Pegula stunned world number one Iga Swiatek 6-2, 6-2 on Friday and Frances Tiafoe swept past Kacper Zuk 6-3, 6-3. Fritz’s victory gave them an insurmountable before Madison Keys made it 4-0 by beating Magda Linette 6-4, 6-2. “It was great to get the win today and get us through, but I had no doubt that if I were to lose the rest of the team would have come through,” said Fritz. “I think the difference in the tiebreakers was I just served well and I put some returns in the court, played some really …

United Cup: Taylor Fritz Crushes Struggling Alexander Zverev As US Progress

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Taylor Fritz inflicted a second straight defeat Monday on struggling former world number two Alexander Zverev at the United Cup as the United States powered into a playoff match against Britain. German two-time ATP Finals champion Zverev slumped 6-1, 6-4 in just 64 minutes to the world number nine in Sydney as he continued his return from serious injury. It followed a straight-sets loss to 81st-ranked Czech Jiri Lehecka on Saturday in his first competitive match since tearing three right ankle ligaments during his French Open semi-final against Rafael Nadal in June. “It was tough to judge my level because I feel he’s coming back from injury, he’s a bit rusty, he was giving me a lot of free points,” said Fritz, who had a breakthrough year in 2022 with titles at Indian Wells, Tokyo and Eastbourne. “But I’m really happy with it. I’m sure it won’t take him too long to fully get his form back.” The mixed-team tournament features 18 countries playing in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. The winners of the two groups …