"This sport is done once Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal go”- Taylor Fritz’s shock loss to World No. 215 in Tokyo stuns fans
American top seed Taylor Fritz was recently upset by Shintaro Mochizuki, a player ranked No. 215 in the world. The shock result sent tennis fans reeling, and they flocked to social media to express their thoughts.
Fritz, the defending champion at the Japan Open, lost in the Round of 16 to Shintaro Mochizuki, a local player who entered the tournament as a wild card. The match went the distance, with Mochizuki emerging victorious in a nail-biting three-setter 6-0, 4-6, 6-7 (2) on Thursday.
Taylor Fritz served up a bagel to his opponent in the first set, but couldn't maintain the momentum. On the flip side, the 20-year-old Japanese showed tremendous grit to win his second ATP tour match of his career.
Shintaro Mochizuki will now face Australia's Alexei Popyrin, who triumphed over qualifier Cristian Garin in three sets (4-6, 7-6(3), 6-2).
This loss has thrown a wrench in Taylor Fritz's ATP Finals qualification dreams. With Tommy Paul and Alex De Minaur still in the race for the Tokyo title, the 25-year-old American faces an uphill battle to secure a spot in Turin this year.
The unexpected outcome of the match between Taylor Fritz and Shintaro Mochizuki drew a variety of reactions from tennis fans. One tennis fan said the sport would be over after Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal's departure.
"This sport is done once Novak and Rafa go," they wrote.
Another fan applauded Shintaro Mochizuki and threw shade at critics of the WTA, claiming they showed double standards.
"My goodness, he was magical towards the end of that third set! BUT just to point out: if this was the WTA, we wouldn't hear the end of it about how this upset is about the state of "women's tennis" etc. Down with the double standards," they wrote.
Here are a few more reactions:
Taylor Fritz is the first American male player to win 50 or more matches in a season since Andy Roddick
With his appearance at the 2023 Shanghai Masters, Taylor Fritz has accomplished a rare feat.
Fritz has had a decent season on the men's circuit this year, posting a 51-21 win-loss record and winning two titles at the 250-level. The American's consistent play at big tournaments has propelled him into the top 10.
After defeating a qualifier in the second round in Shanghai, Fritz made history by becoming the first American male player on the ATP tour to win more than 50 matches in a season since Andy Roddick in 2007.
Roddick had won 54 matches and lost only 16 in a season. Going all the way to the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and helping the United States to their 32nd Davis Cup victory were two of the season's highlights for the former World No. 1.