One 12 months after making his first Grand Slam fourth spherical on the Australian Open, Taylor Fritz made a powerful begin to his 2023 Melbourne marketing campaign with a 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 win towards Nikoloz Basilashvili on Tuesday.
Fritz, who additionally reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals final season, fired 32 aces within the victory as he progressed to the second spherical for the fifth straight 12 months in Melbourne. He received 84 per cent of his first-serve factors within the match.
Taking part in in his first Grand Slam as a Prime 10 participant, the 2022 Nitto ATP Finals semi-finalist was down an early break earlier than play was suspended to shut the roof in John Cain Enviornment. From 2-4 within the opening set, the eighth-seeded American received 4 video games to take command.
“It gave me a chacce to regroup just a little bit,” he mentioned of the delay. “I got here out, it is the primary match, first Slam of the 12 months, it is my first time being a Prime 8 seed. I got here out just a little nervous however type of regrouped. I felt like possibly closing the roof wasn’t the very best for me as a result of I wished it to be just a little bit quicker on the courtroom. I felt prefer it slowed the whole lot down.
“I did a great job regrouping, simply enjoyable a bit and simply enjoying much more strong.”
FOUR. STRAIGHT. ACES.@Taylor_Fritz97 · @wwos · @espn · @wowowtennis · @eurosport · #AusOpen · #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/visGp9koLP
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 17, 2023
Fritz once more used a late surge to take the second set, ripping by way of 4 video games for 2-2, however he couldn’t get better from dropping serve within the opening sport of set three. He didn’t face a break level within the fourth, and he in the end closed out the match together with his fifth break of the 2 hour, 24 minute contest.
After a breakthrough 2022 season by which he received his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells — and a title-winning begin to the brand new 12 months with Staff USA on the United Cup — Fritz is wanting ahead to extra large moments this season.
“I do not wish to put too many excessive expectations, however I do count on lot of myself,” he mentioned in his on-court interview. “I am in a very great spot proper now, I have been enjoying very well. I’ve had a fantastic begin to the 12 months so I am seeking to have an enormous week this week.”
The 25-year-old will face both Chun-Hsin Tseng or Aussie wild card Alexei Popyrin on Thursday within the second spherical.