Taylor Fritz stuns top seed Rafael Nadal with straight-sets win in ATP Finals opener in Turin
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Updated 13/11/2022 at 22:27 GMT
Taylor Fritz made a superb start to his maiden ATP Finals campaign by beating top seed Rafael Nadal in straight sets. The American was imperious on serve and took the first set in a tie-break before breaking Nadal twice in a dominant second-set performance. Nadal is looking to win the year-ending tournament for the first time, and must still face Felix Auger-Aliassime and Casper Ruud.
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Rafael Nadal’s bid to win his first Nitto ATP Finals title got off to a dismal start as the top seed fell to a 7-6 (3) 6-1 defeat to debutant Taylor Fritz in Turin.
The season-ending tournament is the only prestigious title left for the 22-time Grand Slam winner to add to his bulging trophy cabinet, but he now faces an uphill battle after being soundly defeated by the big-serving American.
Fritz was flawless on serve throughout the first set, as Nadal saved three break points but was punished for conceding two mini-breaks in the tiebreak.
Nadal was then broken twice in the second set by the eighth seed, who hit eight aces, 23 winners and didn’t face a single break point throughout the match.
The American is making his tournament debut and was only drafted in as a replacement for world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz, who was unable to compete due to injury.
But he immediately made the chance count by earning his first win against a top-three opponent.
Earlier, in the other Green Group match, Casper Ruud defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets.
The opening two service games were a sign of things to come in the first set, as both players held to love.
Fritz earned a break point at 1-1 with a massive forehand winner and had two break chances at 4-4, but Nadal manage to save each one.
Nadal made little progress on the Fritz serve as the American hit seven aces and didn’t surrender a single break point throughout the set.
The top seed also found a good rhythm, landing three aces in a row on his way to a love hold at 5-4.
A wonderful over-the-shoulder smash from Nadal brought the Turin crowd to its feet as the two players reached an inevitable tie-break.
Nadal got off to a nightmare start by double-faulting the opening point, and it proved costly; Fritz won all his points on serve to take the tiebreak 7-3, pouncing on his first set-point chance with an explosive one-two punch by landing a forehand winner plum on the tram line.
Two quick holds early in the second set suggested a similar pattern could follow, but Fritz soon changed the narrative.
The American took a 2-1 lead and then earned a break point when Nadal netted. This time Fritz took advantage, as a forehand from the top seed flew long and he conceded the first break of the match.
Fritz made short work of another hold, before breaking again in an epic 12-minute game. Nadal saved four break points as he fought to keep his head above water in the match, but eventually he cracked by double-faulting on the fifth break opportunity.
The American made no mistake when serving for the match, setting up two match points and taking the first as another Nadal shot flew beyond the baseline.
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