Shanghai Masters: Playing an improved average, Fritz advances to semi-finals

American Taylor Fritz, the No 7 seed, beat Belgian David Goffin 6-3, 6-4 to move into the last four of the Shanghai Masters at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center on Friday.

The US Open runner-up has now improved to 2-1 lifetime against the former top 10 player from Belgium. Goffin saved two matchpoints at 5-3 in the second set but was unable to hold off Fritz on his own serve in the following game.

This is the fifth time that the American has reached the semi-finals of an ATP Masters event (the second in 2024 after Madrid), making him the first American man born in 1990 or later to reach five Masters 1000 semifinals. He also improved to 26-2 against players ranked outside the top 50 this year.

If a lot of my results this year, US Open included, taught me anything, it’s that I don’t need to be playing perfect to have deep runs in tournaments and to have big results.

Taylor Fritz

“I was just really locked in start to finish, played a great match. Got broken in the first when I was up a break, which is always frustrating, but came back from it, got the break back again. Served better as the match went on, especially in the second set,” Fritz said after his win today. “Just played a really good match. Played aggressive, took my chances. It’s an easy match to maybe tighten up and play a bit safer, but I did a great job of kind of just staying aggressive and taking my chances.”

The American added that he believes his average level has improved considerably which has translated into more success on the tour this year.

“I think the biggest thing that I can take away from a lot of the good results, and confidence that I can gain from a lot of these things is just I am a very improved player just at my average level. I don’t need to play incredible to have amazing results,” Fritz added. “If a lot of my results this year, US Open included, taught me anything, it’s that I don’t need to be playing perfect to have deep runs in tournaments and to have big results. Just my average level has improved a lot, and it’s gotten me to a level where, if I compete really hard and focus really hard and just do that a lot of times it will be enough to, you know, get me deep in the tournaments.”

Fritz, ranked No 7, will face the winner of the match between Jakub Mensik and Serb Novak Djokovic, the No 4 seed, for a spot in the final.

The American won against French qualifier Terence Atmane (7-6 (4), 7-6 (5)), Japanese qualifier Yosuke Watanuki (6-3, 6-4) and Dane Holger Rune, the No 12 seed (6-1, 6-2) ahead of his win today.

Earlier in the week, Goffin, ranked No 66, won against Australian James Duckworth (6-4, 6-2), Italian Lorenzo Musetti, the No 15 seed (1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-2), American Marcos Giron (1-6, 6-3, 7-5) and German Alexander Zverev, the second seed (6-4, 7-5).

Shanghai Masters 1000, other quarter-final matches (Qi Zhong Tennis Center, hard, USD 8,995,555, most recent results first):

• Tomas Machac (30) beat Carlos Alcaraz (3): 7-6 (5), 7-5
• Jannik Sinner (1) beat Daniil Medvedev (5): 6-1, 6-4
• Jakub Mensik vs. Novak Djokovic

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