US Open 2020: Taylor Fritz vs Gilles Simon preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: Taylor Fritz vs Gilles Simon
Date: 2 September 2020
Tournament: US Open 2020
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $39,024,000
Match timing: 5 pm EDT, 2.30 am IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports / Hotstar
Taylor Fritz vs Gilles Simon preview
Gilles Simon put in an emphatic performance against Mohamed Safwat in his first-round match on Monday. He will now face a slightly tougher challenge in the second round when he takes on the talented American Taylor Fritz.
Fritz himself displayed some scintillating tennis during his four-set victory over Dominik Koepfer. The American dropped the first set on a tiebreak but came back in spectacular fashion to win 6-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
For all his quality and experience, Gilles Simon has generally struggled at Grand Slam events. The Frenchman has only made it past the fourth round on two occasions in a whopping 59 attempts. His record at the US Open is far from impressive either, having gone past the third round just twice.
Taylor Fritz on the other hand is a fast rising talent. The American has shown exceptional improvement over the last year or so, which has propelled him into the top 30 of the rankings.
Fritz even made the final at Mexico earlier in 2020, only losing out to the great Rafael Nadal.
Going by their performances this year, Fritz has to be considered the slight favorite. But Simon on his day can cause headaches to any player on tour. The Frenchman has the uncanny ability to grind out hard-fought wins by making his opponents toil for every single point.
Taylor Fritz vs Gilles Simon head-to-head
Gilles Simon leads Taylor Fritz by a margin of 1-0 in the head-to-head. They played each other on clay back in 2016, where Simon prevailed 6-4, 6-4.
Taylor Fritz vs Gilles Simon prediction
Despite being a big server and a powerful striker of the ball, Taylor Fritz has a very nuanced approach to the game. He is exceptionally sound on the tactical side of things and knows exactly when to switch up play by introducing variety.
The American is comfortable off both wings but will look to trouble Gilles Simon with his deep forehand.
Simon is an experienced campaigner who is known for his artful defense. But what makes him especially dangerous is his ability to transition into attack at the flick of a wrist. His backhand is one of his preferred weapons in that pursuit.
The key for Fritz would lie in his ability to attack the Frenchman's serve. If he manages to succeed in that, Simon would face an uphill struggle given the power on the American's own serve.
Prediction: Taylor Fritz to win in four sets.