Top 5 Taylor Fritz Narrows Focus After Latest Milestone | ATP Tour

Taylor Fritz capped off his first day as a Prime 5 participant with a comeback, three-set win in opposition to countryman John Isner on Monday on the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. As the primary American to earn a spot within the Prime 5 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings since Andy Roddick in 2009, the Break Level star is main the pack of 10 males contained in the Prime 50.

Whereas the 25-year-old appreciates the gravity of his achievement, each on a private degree and within the broader scope of American males’s tennis, Fritz is doing his greatest to maintain his give attention to the duty hand this week in Acapulco.

“It is clearly fairly thrilling to be Prime 5. I’ve recognized for a couple of week now that right this moment was going to be the day that I would be Prime 5,” stated Fritz, whose Delray Seashore title put him in place to maneuver up two spots from World No. 7, passing Rafael Nadal and Andrey Rublev after each dropped factors final week. “Now I simply have to give attention to the match week and never a lot concerning the rating.”

He later added: “It is an enormous honour to be the primary American within the Prime 5 since [Roddick] was and I am hoping that I can take it even additional.”

New profession excessive right this moment 🥳 https://t.co/vfI9ydv9wA

— Taylor Fritz (@Taylor_Fritz97) February 27, 2023

With a view to preserve his place, Fritz will possible have to defend his Indian Wells title subsequent month when he returns to his native Southern California. Almost one yr after successful the largest trophy of his profession, Fritz feels that victory reveals he’s able to contending for extra of the sport’s best prizes.

“I feel if I can win a Masters 1000, then I can win a Grand Slam,” he stated in an Acapulco press convention following his opening win. “Issues simply want to return collectively. I must be taking part in rather well one particular week. I really feel prefer it’s potential for certain.”

For now, Fritz is focussed on successful his sixth ATP Tour title — and his second ATP 500 crown after final October in Tokyo — this week in Mexico. The American, who reached the 2020 Acapulco last (l. to Nadal), will proceed his marketing campaign in opposition to Denis Shapovalov on Wednesday, when he’ll attempt to shut the hole on the Canadian’s 5-2 benefit of their ATP Head2Head.