Fritz cracks Dimitrov in Rome!

Is Taylor Fritz changing category on clay? Classically considered as a fast surface player, the American is having a very high quality season on ochre. After a lack of results between Indian Wells and Monte-Carlo (2 wins, 3 losses), Munich gave him a boost. Reaching the final in Germany (beaten by Struff), then the semi-finals in Madrid (beaten by Rublev), the world number 13 will now reach the quarter-finals in Rome. Quite a performance as the French Open approaches.

Faced with an eternally dangerous Grigor Dimitrov, Fritz remained calm and serious, relying in particular on his outstanding quality of service (13 aces, 76% of points won on first serve, 11 break points saved out of 11), to finally blow away an opponent who completely missed his final set (6-2, 6-7, 6-1 in 2h42).

After a first set in which the 1.96 m tall player dominated proceedings, he finally saw the Bulgarian come back into the match like a cannonball. Multiplying wonderful winning shots, Dimitrov put colossal pressure on Fritz's shoulders. Never giving up, the 13th-ranked player in the world was unable to prevent his opponent from clawing his way back into the match. Missing a match point, the American seemed stunned. Leaving the court at the end of the second act (more than 7 minutes), he finally returned to the court with a vengeance. Opposite him, "baby fed" failed to capitalize on the magnificent momentum he had built up, multiplying his gross errors (11 unforced errors, 4 double faults, 32% first ball).

In the end, it was Fritz's mad stability (27 winners, 9 unforced errors) that won out over Dimi's virtuoso tennis (37 winners, 31 unforced errors).

Despite a return to the locker room that is still likely to be the talk of the town (7 minutes 45, well in excess of the regulation 5 minutes), Fritz snatched his first Roman quarter-final. For a place in the semi-finals, he will face the winner of the match between Alexander Zverev and Nuno Borges.