Taylor Fritz claimed his latest match at Eastbourne was “miserable” despite claiming the win.
With a spot in the semi-finals on the line, the American defeated teenager Shang Juncheng in straight sets but he was made to work hard for the victory.
The conditions were tricky for those playing on England’s south coast but Fritz was able to adapt and seal the win.
The 26-year-old needed two tiebreaks to close out victory in one hour and 46 minutes and continue his hopes of winning the Eastbourne trophy for the third time.
Taylor Fritz called Eastbourne quarter-final win “miserable”
Though he had to go through two tiebreaks which are never easy for a tennis player, Fritz never looked like losing his serve.
While serving he dropped just four points on serve for the entire match and was able to cancel out the four break points that he faced.
Though emerging victorious Fritz will be disappointed with his inability to break his opponent’s serve before the tiebreaks, and he stressed how the windy conditions impacted the match.
“With the wind and everything, that was a very miserable match to play, honestly. I definitely feel well here. It’s tough to take too much from today,” he said post-match.
“You’re never really going to feel great hitting the ball as windy as it was. But if I can serve as well as I did today, even in this wind, I’m pretty happy about that.”
Who is Taylor Fritz’s first round opponent at Wimbledon?
Following Fritz’s Eastbourne campaign he will travel to Wimbledon where he will begin a quest for his first Grand Slam title against Australia’s Christopher O’Connell.
This a nightmare draw for the 30-year-old who is on a three-match losing streak and has not tasted victory since the Monte Carlos Masters in April.
The pair have met on one previous occasion and that came at the Madrid Open in 2023, which Fritz won 7-6(11), 6-4.
That was a tight match, but Fritz will be aiming for a much smoother victory in their first meeting on grass.
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