As part of his preparation for Wimbledon, three-time Eastbourne Open champion Taylor Fritz defends his title at Devonshire Park.
The American already holds the record for most titles at the ATP 250 tournament, and he moved one step closer to another with a hard-fought three-set win over Marcos Giron in the quarter-finals.
That victory improved Fritz’s remarkable Eastbourne record to 15 wins and just one loss – the only defeat coming against Mackenzie McDonald in 2023.
But as comfortable as he feels at the venue, Fritz admitted there’s one aspect of the tournament he’s been fortunate to avoid so far.
Taylor Fritz says he is ‘lucky’ to avoid windy conditions at Eastbourne
Fritz’s results clearly show how much he enjoys playing at Eastbourne, but he was quick to point out that conditions there can be unpredictable – and it’s something he’s largely dodged during his runs to the title.
“I’ve been here so many years… I love this tournament and I love the way it feels to play here,” Fritz said after his latest win.
“I’ve been very lucky all those years I won the tournament to not play in very windy conditions… It’s tough for me when I don’t get to play the tennis I love to play and I have to scrap and play crazy tennis.”
Eastbourne has a reputation for blustery conditions, and players are often forced to adapt their styles. That’s something Fritz acknowledged, admitting he prefers when the weather allows him to stick to his usual game plan.
Who is Taylor Fritz’s next opponent?
Despite being 41 spots ahead of Giron in the ATP rankings, Fritz didn’t have an easy path to beat his compatriot in the Eastbourne quarter-finals.
This sets high expectations for what’s to come in his clash against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the current world No. 28.
The Spaniard reached the semi-finals after his win over Jakub Mensik – the world No. 17 – in straight sets.
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