WHAT HAPPENED: In a top-billed third-round showdown between two of the ATP’s next generation of champions, No. 12 seed Denis Shapovalov weathered the storm of an unrelenting Taylor Fritz in a hard-hitting contest that did not disappoint. After three hours and 20 minutes of highlight-reel tennis, Shapovalov claimed the 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 victory to move into the Round of 16 at the 2020 US Open.
The win puts 21-year-old Shapovalov into the second week of the US Open for the first time since his debut in 2017.
No. 19 seed Fritz set the tone just seconds into the match, opening with a 143-mph ace on the first point. It was a sign of things to come, as the California native posted a squeaky clean opening set, winning 100 percent of his first-serve points (including a 147-mph serve) and striking 15 winners to 6 unforced errors.
For two full sets it was lights-out serving from the 6-foot-1 American, as Shapovalov couldn’t seem to crack the code on Fritz’s serve. Once the Canadian managed a break at love for 5-3 in the second, he took the set and a 3-1 lead in the third. But a couple of untimely double faults from the No. 12 seed—and the abrupt demise of a racquet broken out of frustration—tilted the match back in Fritz’s favor as he reeled off four consecutive games to take a two-sets-to-one lead.
Another game-point double-fault from Shapovalov gave Fritz the early break in the fourth, which he took all the way to a 5-2 lead, but the Canadian stormed back to steal the set in a 7-5 tiebreak. With Fritz’s confidence deflated in the final set, a pumped-up Shapovalov raised his level and ran away with the victory.
WHAT IT MEANS: Not much had separated these two players heading into Friday’s match. Their careers have risen along parallel paths ever since they won junior titles at the 2015 US Open, Fritz in boys’ singles and Shapovalov in boys’ doubles. Both were ATP NextGen stars as teenagers, both clinched their first Tour-level title in 2019, and both achieved career-high rankings this season (Shapovalov at No. 13, Fritz at No. 24).
Shapovalov’s clutch performance on Friday widened the gap between them, stretching his head-to-head lead to 3-0 and denying Fritz a fourth-round appearance in a major. Next up for Shapovalov is No. 7 seed David Goffin, a straight-sets winner over No. 26 Filip Krajinovic.
Fritz’s exit leaves only two American men to carry the torch in their home Slam, Frances Tiafoe and J.J. Wolf, both of whom take the court on Saturday.
MATCH POINT: Fritz played through the first two sets winning 24 of 27 points on his first serve, 11 of which were blistering aces. He finished the match with 18 aces, 52 winners and five double faults. Shapovalov finished with 22 aces, 60 winners and 10 double faults.
