Taylor Fritz has been one of the hottest #NextGen players on the ATP
World Tour in 2016 and came into his first-round match at the BNP
Paribas Open with more acclaim after a huge jump in the rankings. But fellow 18-year-old Frances Tiafoe still has Fritz’s number.
In the first match-up between America’s most promising 18 year olds, Tiafoe used an efficient service game in the first and third set to beat his good friend 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 on Thursday afternoon in the first ATP match between the two.
The loss was a bitter disappointment for Fritz, who had rocketed up 97 spots in the rankings to enter this week at No. 80. Fritz also reached his first ATP World Tour final last month in Memphis, so he thought he had momentum to finally beat Tiafoe.
But Fritz said he felt some pressure from the success he’s had and coming into the match as a favorite.
“Usually I handle pressure really well, but I definitely wanted to beat him badly because I never beat him in the juniors,” Fritz said. “It’s been a while and I’ve been doing so well and I thought this was my time to take it. Like I said, I didn’t play at the level I usually would play.”
While Fritz has been soaring in the rankings, Tiafoe said he wasn’t jealous. On the contrary, Tiafoe was inspired.
“I think it’s great, him doing well,” Tiafoe said of Fritz. “If he can do it, why can’t I do it?”
One thing Tiafoe has been working on most is his serve. He said it’s been a focus of his for the past year-and-a-half. Fritz said he’s seen big improvements in the serve the past six months.
“If you don’t have a serve in men’s tennis, you might has well hang it up,” Tiafoe said. “The way the game is going, you need to have a big serve and a big forehand after.
“I feel pretty comfortable with it and now it’s a weapon.”
Tiafoe didn’t allow Fritz to have a break point opportunity in the first set, and for most of the third.
While serving for the match, Tiafoe found himself down 30/40, but saved break point when he hit a service winner. He followed that up with an ace, and then a forehand cross court to win the match.
For the match, Tiafoe got in 73 per cent of his first serves, including 93 per cent in the first set.
“First serves are huge against Taylor,” Tiafoe said. “His second serve returns are as good as it gets. He nails it. Even if he misses it, you don’t know where it will go. My goal was to hit as many first serves as possible, keep him moving and keep him away from the middle of the court where he’s most effective.”
Tiafoe won the Easter Bowl at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in 2014, but Thursday was the first time he got to play in the main stadium with a seating capacity of 16,100. It is the second largest tennis stadium in the world behind Arthur Ashe at the US Open.
“Winning a match in Indian Wells is huge,” Tiafoe said. “It’s a dream to play on this court, there’s so many great matches played on that court. To play a friend early, as two wild cards, it was unbelievable.”
Another thing Tiafoe got to do this week was hit against 2013 finalist and 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, who had been an idol for Tiafoe.
For a guy who also plays with a big serve and forehand, Tiafoe said del Potro is the prototype of how he wants to play.
“He’s a really nice guy and I always loved watching him play,” Tiafoe said. “He was also the first guy to sign a ball for me as a little kid, so obviously I’ll love him forever.”
Source: BNP Paribas Open
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