Taylor Fritz was tested in his opener of Toronto on Wednesday, but the 27-year-old Roberto Carballes Baena stood 7-5, 7-6 (1) to continue at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers.
The first American top-two seed at an ATP Masters 1000 event since number 1 Andy Roddick in 2005 (Paris), Fritz still looms up a tern Challenger. The World No. 4 In the PIF ATP ranking list, Gabriel Diallo will meet, the last Canadian in the Toronto Draw, which Fritz defeated in Wimbledon earlier this month. Fritz survived Diallo in a five-set thriller at the All England Club-one result that the 6’8 “home favorite would like to avenge Friday.
Fritz occasionally staggered against Carballes Baena and even surrendered his typically reliable Serve while he served before the first set at 5-3 after a short rainfall. The Spaniard absorbed Fritz’s firepower and tested the consistency of the American in long rallies, but Carballes Baena blinked late in the second set, double errors at the breaking point while serving at 5-4.
“Because I crashed that break, it also got it back on 5-4-30/0 I played a very good point to get back in there and then I just grinded it in the breaker,” said a relieved Fritz. “Hard circumstances here all week. I have the feeling that even in practice I have had so hard to literally put the ball in court. I am happy to get through it.”
A 18-minute rain delay preceded the second set of Tie-Break, but then Fritz went into Lockdown mode and hit the ball neatly to prevent a late drama, after two hours, 31 minutes.
Now 33-13 of the season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, Fritz is trying to complete the Set Quarterfinals at all nine ATP Masters 1000 events. The 10-time titlist on tour level is looking for his second Masters 1000 Crown (Indian Wells, 2022).
In other action, Fritz’s countryman Frances Tiafoe passed Yosuke Watanuki 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5) to avenge his loss of March Indian Wells for the Japanese player.
Despite the barrage of Watanuki of 45 winners of Tiafoe’s 19, the seventh seed kept his nerve at crucial moments to continue. Watanuki, who won nine more points than Tiafoe, will be two nine-nine breakpoint conversion Ruen. Tiafoe, a top seed at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament for the first time in his career, now leads Watanuki 2-1 in their Lexus ATP Head2head series.
Christopher O’Connell shocked 23rd seed and 2018 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. O’Connell, who arrived in Toronto at a skid on a tour level of seven games, is for the second time in the third round of an ATP Masters 1000 event (Miami, 2024). Tsitsipas, no. 29 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, is in danger of falling out of the top 30 for the first time since July 2018.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina defeated Corentin Moutet 6-4, 6-3. Davidovich Fokina competes for a career-high no. 19 after his second place in Washington, DC, where the Spaniard let Alex de Minaur slide away three championship points. The Aussie de Minaur continued his Washington form by beating Francisco Comesana 6-4, 6-2. The 26-year-old reached the Toronto final in 2023.
Hungarian Fabian Marozsan spoiled the hope of home favorite Felix Auger-Aliassy with a 6-4, 6-4 victory in the midst of windy evening conditions. Marozsan crucially hit a second-class ACE-Breakpoint while serving for the game on 5-4 on the way to closing the competition.
Arthur Fils was back in action for the first time since the worsening of a back injury at Roland Garros. The 21-year-old Frenchman Verdreef 2022 champion Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 6-4 to make a meeting with Jiri Lehecka, who was a 7-6 (2), 6-4 winner against Mackenzie McDonald.
View extensive highlights of Wednesday’s promotion:
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