Fritz holds off De Minaur to take a big step towards the semi-finals
Taylor Fritz didn't miss a beat. Maligned by a determined and vengeful Alex de Minaur, the American suffered for a long time, even conceding the first set, before winning in the end (5-7, 6-4, 6-3).
Faced with an Australian finally playing at his best, Fritz initially seemed to fall into the trap. Often pushed to the foul by an opponent who covered his court admirably, he needed almost 1h30 of play to find the solution.
Gradually adjusting his serve and groundstrokes, the world number 5 exerted constant pressure on De Minaur's shoulders until he finally cracked. More effective on the important points than his opponent, he held out to the end and already has one foot in the semi-finals.
Indeed, if Jannik Sinner beats Daniil Medvedev tonight (not before 8:30 p.m.), the 27-year-old will see himself propelled into the semi-finals of this Masters.
Shanghai 
