Taylor Fritz became a tennis player who was able to seize this golden opportunity by risking a ticket to the semifinals of the ATP Finals in Turin for the 2022 season.
In the final match of the group phase, the American gave her best to defeat Canadian tennis player, Felix Auger Aliassime 7-6, 6-7, 6-2, a victory that brought him to the semifinals on his debut at the ATP Finals.
Entering the last match of the group phase, the two players won 1-1 in the Green Group and are aiming to join Norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud in the last four. In front of an enthusiastic crowd, the 2022 champion at Indian Wells effectively executed aggressive plays while dealing with pressure at crucial moments.
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The American shot 32 winners and edged fifth seed Auger Aliassime in the third set, including earning a crucial break at 3-2 in the decider before ending her match after 2 hours 44 minutes.
“I have to serve well all the time, I know that,” says Taylor Fritz. “It was quite frustrating throughout the match when so many points I was one point away from a break point opportunity. I’m just trying to stay patient and not get frustrated, then I take chances when I get them.”
The eighth seed was impressive on serve throughout after she won 88 per cent of the points from her first serve and saved all three of the break point opportunities she faced before celebrating victory by converting her first match point.
“That’s huge,” Fritz exclaimed when asked about qualifying for the semifinals. “From maybe not even qualifying to now being in the semifinals, it feels amazing. I feel I will do well here. I feel that I always play my best against the best tennis players.”
Thanks to his 45th win of the 2022 season, the American is now 2-0 up in his head to head against Auger Aliassime. Earlier this season he won the Masters title for the first time in his career at Indian Wells before winning at Eastbourne and Tokyo.
Meanwhile, Auger Aliassime, who also debuted at the ATP Finals, finished the group phase 1-2.
“It was a quality match for sure,” Auger Aliassime said of the loss to the eighth seed. “In the third set, I took some bad choices and some bad executions in some parts. Maybe I lost focus a little. The fact that I feel tired, sometimes you don’t feel that you are tired, but it’s too late, you have played a lot. I had a long season.”
Waiting for Fritz in the semifinals is tennis player who has won the ATP Finals five times, Novak Djokovic.
