World no. 7 Taylor Fritz is through to his tenth quarter-final of the season at the Shanghai Masters. The US Open finalist enjoyed a relaxed day at the office against Holger Rune in the fourth round, toppling the struggling Dane 6-1, 6-2 in 55 minutes!
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The American served at 73% and fired nine aces. He dominated with his first serve and faced only one break point in the first game of the match, saving it and mounting the pressure on the other side. Holger could not follow that pace, spraying five double faults and giving away over half of the points behind the initial shot.
Rune lost over half of the points in his games and suffered two breaks in each set from four chances presented to his opponent. Taylor destroyed Holger in the shortest exchanges up to four strokes, earning the victory in that segment after they stayed neck and neck in the mid-range and most advanced ones.
The Dane caused the rival's backhand mistake in the first game of the match, creating a break chance.
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World no. 7 saved it with a forehand winner and held, avoiding an early setback.
The younger player hit a double fault in the second game, playing against a break point and experiencing an early setback after Fritz's forehand down the line winner. The American held at love in the third game with a service winner, cementing the lead and settling into a fine rhythm after ten minutes.
Struggling to find the rhythm, Rune faced two break points in the fourth game when his opponent passed him at the net. The Dane missed a volley on the first, allowing his opponent to deliver another break and extend the gap.
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World no. 7 presented a hold at love in game five with a backhand down the line winner, forcing world no. 14 to serve to stay in the set. The young gun held at 15, reducing the deficit to 5-1 and avoiding a bagel. Still, the US Open finalist served for the set in game seven and created a set point after a routine backhand mistake from his rival.
Taylor landed a service winner, wrapping up the opener 6-1 in 23 minutes and gathering a boost.
Taylor Fritz defeated Holger Rune in under an hour in Shanghai.
Carried by this boost, the American made another push on the return in the first game of the second set, generating a break point after Dane's double fault.
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Rune sprayed another, losing serve and falling a set and a break down. The better-ranked player held at love in game two with a powerful serve and mirrored that at 2-1, keeping everything under control. Holger extended the sixth game with a rare forehand winner before Taylor closed it with an unreturned serve, opening a 4-2 gap and moving closer to the finish line.
The younger player struggled behind the initial shot again in game seven, netting a forehand and hitting a double fault to propel his rival 5-2 in front. Fritz served for the win in game eight and wasted three match points.
He created the fourth with a forced error and welcomed the rival's loose drop shot attempt, moving over the top and setting the quarter-final duel with David Goffin, who stunned Alexander Zverev.
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Taylor earned his 73rd Masters 1000 victory and added another tournament to his tally, reaching the quarter-final at eight of nine events of this series, missing the feat only in Canada.
The American debuted at this level at a young age and had to wait until October 2021 to notch his first quarter-final in Indian Wells. He added another in Paris and turned the tables the next season, lifting a trophy in Indian Wells after ousting Andrey Rublev and Rafael Nadal.
Fritz entered the Monte Carlo quarter-final in April, a rare scene for the Americans, and accumulated another in August in Cincinnati. He was the semi-finalist in Monte Carlo last year and excelled in his clay-court game to a higher level this spring, going deep in Madrid and Rome.
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Taylor is now the quarter-finalist at the eighth Masters 1000 event in Shanghai, and he needs one in Montreal or Toronto to wrap up an entire series.
The American also passed the 4000-point mark on the ATP Race list, keeping Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev and Novak Djokovic behind in a battle for a place at the ATP Finals.
Fritz is in an excellent position to qualify for the prestigious event, delivering consistent tennis this season and crowning it with the US Open final. Taylor did not play well in Canada and Cincinnati, saving his best tennis for the home Major.
He overpowered his compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the semi-final and arranged the title clash versus world no. 1 Jannik Sinner. The Italian scored a 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 victory, erasing the deficit in the third set and leaving the home star empty-handed.
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Fritz missed ATP points in Tokyo before returning to the winning path in Shanghai, embracing his best run at this event.
