Did Taylor Fritz Overcome an Injury to Reach the Semifinals in Dallas?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Dallas, Feb 14 (NationPress) Taylor Fritz overcame a concerning injury to defeat Sebastian Korda with scores of 6-7(2), 6-4, 7-6(5), securing his place in the semifinals of the Dallas Open.
During the first set, while at 4-5 and 30/15, Fritz executed an awkward backhand flick that caused him significant pain, prompting a visit from the physio during the same game. Although he felt discomfort, it was not as severe after treatment. He received several physiotherapy sessions, which he noted were beneficial, according to ATP reports.
“That was a strange one. I hit a powerful return, and in response, I had to flick a backhand. The way I executed it seemed to jam my elbow. It was a hard-hit ball, and I instantly felt a sharp pain in my elbow,” Fritz shared in his on-court interview.
He continued, “I went over to the towel box, felt the pain, and thought, ‘Let me try serving.’ Fortunately, I managed to serve well, but when the ball came back, I struggled to hit the next one due to the intense pain.”
Fritz faced challenges against Korda, who served at 5/4 during the final set tie-break. However, the former No. 15 in the PIF ATP Rankings committed consecutive forehand errors, allowing Fritz to escape. He recorded 22 aces and successfully saved all four break points he encountered, as per ATP Stats.
Next up for Fritz is a match against former World No. 3 Marin Cilic, who triumphed over breakthrough Briton Jack Pinnington Jones with a score of 6-1, 6-4 in just 78 minutes.
The Croatian, a 21-time tour-level champion, is aiming for his first ATP Tour title since his victory in Hangzhou in 2024. Fritz currently leads their ATP head-to-head series 2-1, although they haven't competed against each other since 2022.