Miami Open 2022: Taylor Fritz vs Tommy Paul preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (11) Taylor Fritz vs Tommy Paul
Date: 28 March 2022
Tournament: Miami Open
Round: Third round (Round of 32)
Venue: Miami, Florida, USA
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: $8,584,055
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Voot
Taylor Fritz vs Tommy Paul preview
Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul came through similarly hard-fought wins on Saturday to book a third-round showdown at the 2022 Miami Open.
Fritz, the 11th seed, fought off a spirited comeback from Mikhail Kukushkin to prevail 6-3, 5-7, 6-3. The American is now on an eight-match winning streak and will be looking to keep his momentum going.
Paul, meanwhile, scored an upset win over 23rd seed Karen Khachanov in his last match. The 24-year-old put himself in a commanding position by securing an early break that helped him take the first set. But he had to play some of his best tennis to edge out a resurgent Khachanov in a final-set tie-breaker.
Paul has played excellent tennis of late and has managed victories over the likes of Alexander Zverev, Matteo Berrettini and Frances Tiafoe. Needless to say, he will fancy his chances on Monday.
Taylor Fritz vs Tommy Paul head-to-head
Fritz and Paul have split their two previous meetings, so their head-to-head currently stands at 1-1. Fritz beat Paul at the 2021 St. Petersburg Open but his opponent pulled level in Stockholm the same year.
Taylor Fritz vs Tommy Paul prediction
Fritz and Paul are familiar with each other's strengths and weaknesses. The two have not only played multiple times across the junior and senior circuits, but they have also paired up in doubles on occasion.
For Fritz, the key will be to be aggressive throughout and keep the points short. His opponent possesses incredible speed and is capable of chasing down a lot of balls, and thus will have a distinctive edge during longer rallies.
Paul has done well to defuse the powerful serve and groundstrokes of players like Zverev and Khachanov in recent weeks. Fritz, however, has been playing solid tennis and is unlikely to throw in as many unforced errors.
Fritz has played a lot of matches in the last few days and had an issue with his ankle before the Indian Wells final. A lot will depend on his fitness, but if fully fit, he should be able to come out on top in this one.
Prediction: Taylor Fritz to win in three sets
Also Check Out: Miami Open 2022 Schedule