Fritz rallies from slow start to beat Ruud at US Open

NEW YORK:

Taylor Fritz overcame a slow start to beat eighth seed Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 on Sunday to reach the US Open quarter-finals for the second straight year. Rudd took early control, breaking for a 5-3 lead and clinching the first set with a flawless service game.

However, Fritz began to challenge Rudd’s serve in the second set and was able to break when the Norwegian double-faulted the set, leveling the match. Despite changing into dry clothes and shoes before the third set, Rudd struggled to regain his previous form. A poor serve saw him fall behind 2-0 in the third and Fritz closed out the set with an ace.

In the fourth set, Fritz maintained his momentum, finishing the match with his 24th ace to set up a quarter-final against German fourth seed Alexander Zverev. Reflecting on the match, Fritz admitted that Ruud outplayed him in the first set, but credited his own tenacity for turning the match around.

This victory marked Fritz’s first victory in three meetings against Ruud, who had previously beaten him at the 2022 ATP Finals and the French Open earlier this year. Fritz, however, did not dwell on the match record, noting that their previous meetings were close and that Ruud is strong on clay.

Last year, Fritz reached the quarterfinals but lost in straight sets to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. This time around, with Djokovic and third seed Carlos Alcaraz out of the draw, Fritz is cautious about looking too far ahead, having learned from past experiences. He stressed the importance of focusing on one match at a time, recalling his early exit in 2022 after entering the tournament with high expectations.

Meanwhile, American Brandon Nakashima was knocked out by Zverev, who won 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2. Zverev served 14 aces and hit 51 winners to reach the quarterfinals in New York for the fourth straight year. The German, aiming for his first Grand Slam title since coming close in 2020, is bracing for a “tough battle” against Fritz, who he lost to in five sets at Wimbledon in July.