After beating Frances Tiafoe in the Japan Open final and breaking into the top 10 for the first time, The New world No.8 Taylor Fritz confided that he did not doubt that he would reach this position one day. He is the first American player to reach the Top 10 since Jack sock in November 2017.
“I felt like things were falling into place. At the beginning of the year, a lot of people asked me what it took to be in the Top 10. I said: ‘Nothing, I just have to play as I have done so far. Of course, I needed good results, but I felt like at the beginning of the year, when I was ranked 20 or more, I thought my level corresponded to that of a Top 10 player, so I was convinced from the end of last year that it was quite achievable,” said Fritz, in remarks granted to the ATP.
Taylor Fritz joins the elite club with Pete Sampras
Third seed Taylor Fritz became the first American champion in Japan Open since Pete Sampras in 1996 after beating compatriot Frances Tiafoe (seeded fourth) 7-6(3), 7-6(2). It was a serving master class by the champion in the final hitting 12 aces with no double faults. He was broken only once in the entire match. Although Tiafoe was toe-to-toe in both the sets, Fritz upped a gear in both the tie-breakers.
Taylor Fritz is one of the most successful players on tour this season with 3 ATP titles, just 2 behind the leader and Current World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz. He is the only player apart from Novak Djokovic to win an ATP250, ATP 500, and ATP1000 each at least once this year. Starting the year with a triumph over Rafael Nadal in the Indian Wells Masters final, He stands at position 7 with 2885 points in the ATP race to Turin now.
Also read: Novak Djokovic hustles past Rafael Nadal to claim the highest win percentage in tennis history
