World no. 7 Taylor Fritz will compete in his fifth Masters 1000 semi-final at the Shanghai Masters. Taylor faced David Goffin in the quarter-final and scored a 6-3, 6-4 triumph in an hour and 22 minutes, remaining on the title course and adding more points to his ATP Race tally.
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The Belgian stopped the clock in Shanghai, playing his best tennis in years and ousting world no. 3 Alexander Zverev in the quarter-final. World no. 66 could not provide another top-10 win against the American, ending his campaign in the last eight.
Fritz fired ten aces and made the difference behind the second serve, defending three of four break points and keeping the pressure on the other side. David struggled behind the second serve and lost 42% of the points in his games, playing against seven break points and getting broken three times.
Taylor landed 24 winners and 16 unforced errors, leaving his rival on a 12-22 ratio. World no. 7 hit more service winners and had the edge from the baseline, earning the win fair and square.
Goffin forged a slight edge in the mid-range and most advanced exchanges.
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However, he struggled in the quickest ones, failing to impose his strokes and reach at least one tie break. Fritz landed a forehand down the line winner in the first game of the encounter, holding at 30 and making a push on the return in the next one.
The American drew the Belgian's mistake in the second game, delivering an early break and moving 2-0 in front. Goffin netted a routine backhand in the third game, allowing his opponent to hold at love and open a 3-0 gap. The lower-ranked player got his name on the scoreboard with a hold at love in game four and stepped in on the return in the next one.
World no. 66 extended the fifth game with a backhand attack and generated a break chance after the rival's loose backhand. David drew Taylor's mistake, converting it and reducing the deficit to 3-2. Instead of building on that, the Belgian hit a backhand long in the sixth game, losing serve for the second time and falling 4-2 behind.
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Taylor Fritz ousted David Goffin in straight sets at the Shanghai Masters.
The American wasted game points in the next one and faced a break point after a forehand error right after the serve.
World no. 7 saved it with a forehand winner and closed the game after drawing the rival's error, moving 5-2 up and forcing his rival to serve to stay in the set. Goffin secured the eighth game with a forehand down the line winner and wished for the one last push on the return at 3-5.
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Fritz served for the opener in game nine and generated set points with a service winner. World no. 66 denied the first with a powerful backhand attack before spraying a backhand error on the second, sending world no. 7 6-3 in front after 37 minutes.
David landed a volley winner at 30-30 in the first game of the second set and closed it after the rival's groundstroke mistake. Taylor secured the second game with an ace and pressured his opponent on the return in the next one.
Goffin netted a backhand at 30-30 in the third game and faced a break point.
He saved it with a crafty drop shot before experiencing another after Fritz's forehand winner at the net.
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The American attacked and painted a forehand down the line winner, delivering a break and moving closer to the finish line. Settling into a fine rhythm, world no. 7 hit another forehand winner in the fourth game and closed it with a powerful serve, cementing the break and opening a 3-1 advantage.
The Belgian grabbed the fifth game with an unreturned serve and found the range on the return in the next one. The lower-ranked player defended nicely in the fourth point, passing his rival and creating two break points. Fritz remained his composure and denied them with winners, landing another direct point with his serve and terminating the game after Goffin's shaky backhand.
David held at 30 in the seventh game with a well-constructed attack and a forced error, remaining within one break deficit.
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The American served well in the eighth game, landing powerful initial shots and cracking an ace, holding and opening a 5-3 gap.
World no. 66 faced the ultimate challenge while serving to stay in the match in game nine, playing against three match points. Goffin erased two with volley winners and painted a beautiful backhand down the line winner on the third to remain in contention.
Fritz missed a routine smash, and his rival held with a service winner. Taylor served for the win at 5-4 and fired a backhand down the line winner for 30-0. World no. 7 overpowered his rival in a battle of crosscourt backhands, sealing the deal and moving into the semi-final.
