[9] Taylo Fritz is still hanging in despite rumors of his injury. Vit Kopriva mounted some inspired resistance in the third set, forcing a tiebreaker, but it was still not enough. Fritz won 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(4). They both turned professional the same year (2015), and this was their first encounter. Keep in mind that Fritz had right knee surgery in 2021 and suffered an ankle injury in 2022. He is in constant pain, reportedly, from chronic tendonitis.
Embed from Getty ImagesTaylor Fritz And Wawrinka Has History
Taylor Fritz made it to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in 2024. 2024 was also the same year that Fritz got to the final of a major for the first time at the US Open. Wawrinka is now forty years old. Although the Swiss player leads their H2H 2:1, Fritz won the last time they played (2023) in straight sets.
Embed from Getty ImagesEliot Spizzirri Amongst Victorious Americans
[4] Amanda Anisimova is still in the hunt and playing well. She defeated Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 6-4. She just needs to watch those lapses in concentration. [6] Jessica Pegula squashed fellow American, McCartney Kessler, 6-0, 6-2. I was a bit disappointed that it was such a lopsided victory for Pegula. [9] Madison Keys was tested again, this time by fellow American, Ashlyn Krueger. Keys still managed to prevail in straight sets 6-1, 7-6.
Embed from Getty Images[8] Ben Shelton had a much more relaxing day at the office against Dane Sweeny. It is a little disturbing though to see the kinesiology tape on his right thigh. Although he did not seem hampered, it could prove to be his rate limiting step to get to the final. For now, he got by with the 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory. Has American Ethan Quinn come to play? It sure looks that way. Quinn defeated the former top ten, Hubert Hurkacz, 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-1.
Eliot Spizzirri made life a tad more complicated than it needed to be for himself. Perhaps it was fear, masked in the guise of doubt. Whatever it was, Spizzirri lost the next two sets to Yibing Wu. Kudos to him for fighting back to win 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(4), 4-6, 6-3. Peyton Stearns is going strong both in singles and doubles. She defeated Petra Marcinko 6-2, 7-5. Stearns and her partner, Hailey Baptiste, are into the second round in doubles.
Embed from Getty ImagesProminent Seeds Lose On Day 5
[10] Belinda Bencic fought back to even the match by winning the second set 6-0, but she could not maintain the momentum. The qualifier, Nikola Bartunkova, was not willing to lose this match. She won 6-3,0-6, 6-4. [21] Denis Shapovalov ran into a red-hot Marin Cilic. Cilic won 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. [24] Jelena Ostapenko will not be getting to the quarterfinals this year. Xinyu Wang defeated the Latvian 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Embed from Getty Images[25] Paula Badosa lost in straight sets to Oksana Selekhmeteva. Selekhmeteva is currently ranked outside the top hundred, but if she keeps this up, she will have a career ranking well into the top hundred. The Russian won 6-4, 6-4. [31] Stefanos Tsitsipas could not out duel the Czech, Tomas Machac. He fought hard in the last two sets, but alas, it was not enough. Machac won 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(5).
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