Taylor Fritz was uncharacteristically poor earlier today, losing in straight sets to exit Queen’s at the Round of 16.
His first serve was okay, but it was his second serve that really let him down, winning just 47% of the points on it.
He did not bring up a single break point, whilst his opponent forged ten, albeit only converting three.
But that was enough to see off the 26-year-old, who now faces an inquest ahead of Wimbledon in ten day’s time.
John Lloyd left absolutely baffled by Taylor Fritz
Speaking on BBC Sport’s live coverage earlier today, pundit John Lloyd did not hold back in his assessment of Fritz’s display.
He looked flat and lost at times, failing to make his mark on Jordan Thompson as the Australian surged into the semi-finals in straight sets.
It baffled the Queen’s crowd, and it baffled those in the studio.
Lloyd in particular gave this stunned assessment: ‘Someone like Taylor Fritz who has such weapons in his game, particularly the serve and forehand, can all of a sudden lose just two service games, he played really poorly. Credit to Jordan Thompson, he had to make enough balls to put him under pressure, but a lot of it was just self-destruction from Taylor Fritz.
‘It was very strange and I don’t quite know, he has been muttering and looking at his camp the whole set and a half and he just doesn’t seem to be in it today.
‘That was a bad performance. His coaches will not be happy with that. He looked very listless out there today.’
Not ideal Wimbledon preparation for Taylor Fritz
Despite moving well for a big man and boasting a thunderous serve, Fritz just cannot seem to get his head around grass.
Having reached the quarter-final of Wimbledon in 2022, that remains his deepest run to date, having been dumped out in the third round or earlier in every other iteration of the event.
It marks huge wasted potential thus far, and although he likely does prefer the hard courts, none of the Grand Slams have encouraged any real success from the American.
To date, his greatest achievement still remains his Indian Wells triumph in 2022, but since then he has consistently blanked.
He has all the tools needed to succeed, but as is so often the case at the apex of tennis, the mental side of the game eludes him.
Hopefully, whether it be at Wimbledon or the US Open that will soon follow, he can finally start to fulfil that potential with a truly deep run that makes others and himself believe that he is a threat.
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