Citi Open 2023: 2 things that stood out in Tallon Griekspoor's semifinal win over Taylor Fritz
12th seed Tallon Griekspoor defeated top seed Taylor Fritz 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the semifinal of the Citi Open in Washington on Saturday, August 5. In a match that lasted almost three hours, the Dutchman managed to get through after an intense battle.
Griekspoor will face Dan Evans in the final on Sunday after the Brit defeated Grigor Dimitrov in the other semifinal. Evans will fancy his chances in the final, but Griekspoor will be the slight favorite to win the title.
On that note, let us take a look at two things that stood out in the match between Griekspoor and Fritz:
#1 Tallon Griekspoor put pressure on Taylor Fritz's backhand
Tallon Griekspoor did not allow Taylor Fritz to dominate the proceedings with his forehand. The Dutchman's crosscourt backhand with a sharp angle and his inside-out forehand put pressure on the American's backhand repeatedly. Fritz had to stretch towards his left repeatedly to retrieve the ball and stay in the rallies.
Fritz, meanwhile, dragged Griekspoor to the net quite often with the help of his drop shots and then won a few points with his volleys. The American broke Griekspoor once to win the first set and thereby draw the first blood.
#2 Tallon Griekspoor's passing shots troubled Taylor Fritz
Tallon Griekspoor defended very well from the baseline, thereby forcing Taylor Fritz to often venture into the net. The Dutchman then hit his passing shots well to put pressure on the American.
Griekspoor thus bounced back in the second set to break Fritz once before winning it. By the start of the third set, Fritz was visibly tired and struggled to move around. The World No. 37 capitalized on that and made his opponent move from side to side by playing the angles well. He broke Fritz twice to race through the set and seal his victory.
Griekspoor served quite well and fired 13 aces in the match. He won 80% of the points on his first serve, while Fritz managed only 66%. The Dutchman had 10 break point opportunities in the match, of which he could convert three.
The 27-year-old, who is eyeing his third ATP singles title, should be the favorite to beat Dan Evans in the Citi Open final as he seems to be in good touch at the moment.