Taylor Fritz may have been dumped out of the Madrid Open on Friday by Andrey Rublev, but it still marked an impressive run to that stage on clay.
Having only ever made one other Masters 1000 final, where he beat Rafael Nadal at Indian Wells back in 2022, it did represent a huge opportunity for the American to reach another.
However, starting just next week is another tournament on that level, which he will hope to enjoy another strong run in.
He can take great solace in his promising early performances on this surface that a title could be in the offing.
Taylor Fritz makes his prediction for the Rome Masters
Fritz had dropped just one set on his way to that Madrid semi-final, with his service game arguably the best it has been in some time.
Having at times faltered in the past, his current game relies heavily on his huge frame hammering down first serves to unnerve his opponent and keep them on the back foot.
This proved profitable until he faced the enigmatic Rublev where it somewhat deserted him.
And whilst he did suggest that the different conditions on centre court had altered his game, there were no excuses from the 26-year-old despite having revealing one issue with a brand-new rule. He instead looked ahead at a Rome Open set to be without so many star names through injury.
When asked if he would consider himself a favourite, he told Tennis TV: ‘I wouldn’t go as far as to say I’m a favourite to win the tournament, but I think I’ve been playing well on clay. So yeah, I think I’m a dangerous person in the draw and there’s obviously potential for me to go deep. I just need to keep playing well.’
The draw is wide open in Rome
As noted, there is a whole host of key players set to miss this upcoming Masters event, which could make it primed for someone like Fritz to waltz to yet another unlikely title at this level.
After all, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have already pulled out, as the young superstars at the top of the game, with forearm and hip complaints respectively.
Daniil Medvedev was another forced to retire mid-match in Madrid, making three of the top four ranked players on the ATP tour doubts for the tournament.
And with Novak Djokovic, his lack of play time makes him a potential scalp for anyone willing to get stuck into the legendary Serbian just as Sinner, Casper Ruud or even Luca Nardi did.
Fritz should fancy himself, and after a final in Munich and a semis in Madrid, why not go for the title in Rome?
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