Match Report
Tie-break Taylor! Fritz squeezes previous Atmane in Shanghai
Turin hopefuls Dimitrov, Tiafoe additionally notch opening wins in China
October 07, 2024
Mike Frey | Rolex Shanghai Masters
Taylor Fritz overcomes Terence Atmane on Monday on the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
By ATP Workers
It might have taken 48 hours, however Taylor Fritz ensured his massive plans for the ultimate stretch of the 2024 season stay on target with a hard-earned opening victory Monday on the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
The American saved his cool within the face of a free-spirited efficiency from Terence Atmane to safe a 7-6(4), 7-6(5) triumph on the Chinese language ATP Masters 1000. After rain compelled the second-round conflict to be suspended with Fritz main 4-3 on serve on Saturday afternoon, the seventh seed on Monday accomplished a two-hour, three-minute victory beneath the roof inside Qizhong Forest Sports activities Metropolis Enviornment.
The US Open finalist Fritz stays fifth within the PIF ATP Stay Race To Turin and is in a robust place to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, the place he made his debut in 2022. But the American was decided to take issues one step at a time after passing a troublesome take a look at from Atmane within the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head conflict.
“I don’t need to communicate too quickly, however I feel I’m in place,” stated Fritz. “I’m not pondering a lot in regards to the objective of reaching the finals proper now, as a result of I’m fifth within the race. If the objective is that and I get panicky, it will be like, ‘Let’s simply not slip 4 spots’. My objective proper now could be to complete the yr within the High 5, preserve my place. I feel that’s only a higher mindset to have, each to qualify for the finals and play good tennis for the remainder of the yr.”
Firing on all cylinders 🔥@Taylor_Fritz97 retains his excellent Shanghai opening spherical file intact, defeating Atmane 7-6(4) 7-6(5).@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/Aejpiu9R4L
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 7, 2024
In opposition to Atmane, Fritz crucially saved the one two break factors of the opening set from 15/40 within the ninth sport, and after clinching the first-set tie-break he established a 4-2 lead within the second set. But the Frenchman continued to push Fritz, and he was solely defeated as soon as the American once more discovered one thing further late on to clinch the second set in a tie-break.
“I feel his capability to principally hit a winner from wherever on the court docket made it very robust,” stated Fritz. “As a result of typically I virtually felt like if I wished to be the aggressor within the rally, I needed to go on once I perhaps didn’t need to go on. Then typically I needed to take only a extra defensive, strong strategy to the factors, let him pull the set off and if he makes it, he makes it.
“That uncertainty of what if he does make it’s all the time uncomfortable. He was taking part in very well, serving effectively on massive factors, so it’s nice to get by that in two units.”
Fritz’s subsequent task in Shanghai will probably be a third-round conflict on Tuesday in opposition to Yosuke Watanuki. The 26-year-old Fritz is now 5-0 in opening rounds on the Chinese language Masters 1000, however is but to achieve the fourth spherical throughout his 5 appearances.
One other High 10 star and Turin hopeful, Grigor Dimitrov, additionally accomplished victory Monday in a rain-affected second-round conflict. The Bulgarian led Zizou Bergs 6-3, 2-4 when their assembly was suspended on Saturday, and upon resumption he battled to a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 triumph.
Dimitrov transformed 5 of seven break factors he earned in opposition to Bergs, in accordance with Infosys ATP Stats. The 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion is tenth within the PIF ATP Stay Race To Turin as he chases a spot on the prestigious season finale, and he’ll hope to construct on his good begin in Shanghai when he takes on Alexei Popyrin within the third spherical.
One other member of the chasing pack within the Stay Race, the 14th-placed Frances Tiafoe, made a strong begin to his Shanghai marketing campaign. The thirteenth seed prevailed 6-2, 6-4 in opposition to #NextGenATP house favorite Zhou Yi. It was a primary win in Shanghai since 2017 for Tiafoe, who will subsequent play Roman Safiullin. The World No. 61 Safiullin upset twenty third seed Alexander Bublik 6-4, 6-2 in a match moved to an indoor court docket due to the rain.
