Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur will face off for the twelfth time in their careers Thursday afternoon when they meet in round-robin action at the Nitto ATP Finals.
De Minaur leads the head-to-head series 6-5, although it is all tied 5-5 on the main tour. However, the tide has turned considerably in recent seasons. Dating back to the 2021 US Open, Fritz has won five of their last seven meetings. That includes two in a row indoors late last year: 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 at the Nitto ATP Finals and 6-3, 6-4 at the Davis Cup Finals.
It will be difficult for De Minaur to turn the tables in his favor again, given the recent developments in Turin. The seventh-ranked Australian has played largely well through two matches but has been unable to show any signs of his efforts. After losing to Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(5), 6-2, De Minaur squandered a 5-3 lead in the third set against Lorenzo Musetti, falling 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 in a two-hour, 47-minute battle.
Fritz is in good form to qualify for the semi-finals, although winning this match would obviously be a big step forward for his hopes. The sixth-seeded American opened with a 6-3, 6-4 defeat of Musetti before succumbing to Alcaraz 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-3.
A despondent De Minaur may be on the brink of a mental breakdown based on what he said in his post-match press conference following his collapse against Musetti. Fritz, on the other hand, is brimming with confidence at 1-1 in the group with nothing worse than a very competitive defeat to Alcaraz. Furthermore, the 28-year-old was runner-up at this tournament in 2024, so he clearly likes the playing conditions. See if he can overpower a staggering De Minaur on this indoor hard court.
Choice: Fritz in 2
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