Fritz defeats Fonseca and advances to Eastbourne quarterfinals

Taylor Fritz faced a tough challenge in his Eastbourne opener. After receiving a first-round bye, the American was pitted against Joao Fonseca in the second round.

The two players had started their match on Wednesday, but with the score tied at one set apiece, play was suspended due to insufficient lighting and postponed to the following day.

Ultimately, Fritz clinched the decisive set on Thursday, winning 6-3, 6-7, 7-5, despite being broken while serving for the match at 5-4 in the third set.

In his post-match interview, he said: "I'm happy with my level—it's a shame we couldn’t finish the match yesterday. Almost half of my titles have come on grass, so I feel confident on this surface."

His quarterfinal opponent will be fellow American Marcos Giron, about whom he added: "I’ve probably practiced with Marcos more than any other player, which makes this match tricky."