Taylor Fritz capped an ideal return to North American arduous courts Sunday by successful the Atlanta Open for his second tour-level title of the season.
In his first event on house soil since March, the highest seed Fritz downed Australian Aleksandar Vukic 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-4 within the last to carry the ATP 250 trophy. Regardless of letting slip two championship factors on return at 6-5 within the second set, Fritz held his nerve to shut the two-hour, 16-minute conflict in a deciding set.
“I’ve performed this event 5 occasions earlier than and [made] the semis [in 2021] and last [in 2019]. I really feel like I’ve all the time been shut so it is good, I do not suppose I might’ve dealt with one other loss within the last,” Fritz mentioned. “It feels actually good to get the job achieved.”Â
World No. 9 Fritz relied on his hefty serve and first-strike to tennis to be topped champion on the hard-court occasion, the place he was damaged simply as soon as all event. The 25-year-old received 84 per cent of his first-serve factors Sunday and struck his groundstrokes with conviction and consistency to seal victory.
A pivotal second got here when Fritz earned triple break level at 3-3 within the decider by displaying nice defence to win a 27-shot rally.
“I felt like in the present day it was like, ‘I am right here to win it and I might be completely devastated with a last consequence’. Although a whole lot of occasions, being within the last, I am proud of that,” Fritz mentioned.
Title #6 for @Taylor_Fritz97 🤩@ATLOpenTennis | #AtlantaOpen pic.twitter.com/B7xXsw0dbu
— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 30, 2023
Fritz, who additionally triumphed in Delray Seashore earlier this yr, has received six tour-level titles, three of which have got here in his house nation.
“I simply felt so at house and welcomed in Atlanta this week,” Fritz mentioned. “I have been coming again right here for therefore a few years, so I am glad to lastly get the title. All week, the assist was wonderful. I am not from Atlanta, nevertheless it felt like I used to be as a result of the assist was simply loopy all week lengthy and it felt nice.”
Fritz rose to ninth within the Pepperstone ATP Dwell Race To Turin because of his standout week in Atlanta. The American No. 1 is aiming to return to the Nitto ATP Finals, the place he was a semi-finalist final yr as an alternate.
Vukic, 27, was competing in his maiden tour-level last. The previous College of Illinois standout ousted three seeded gamers in Atlanta and can rise 20 spots to a brand new career-high No. 62 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on Monday.
