‘This has been my best year on clay’ – Fritz in ominous form at Roland-Garros

Taylor Fritz has never yet been past the third round at Roland-Garros – but in a year where he’s proving his most consistent on clay, he may improve on that.

The American reached the semi-finals in Geneva last week and Munich and Monte-Carlo last month; this year his record on the surface is 9-5, with a winning percentage of 64.3, compared to his career record of 34-29, with a winning percentage of 54.

He has not yet won a title on clay, but there are signs that it could be imminent – not least his impressive first-round win in Paris against Michael Mmoh for the loss of just five games.

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“I’ve had the best results on clay, for sure, this season,” he told reporters afterwards. “Also, being a way higher seed the whole season in tournaments that I’ve been before definitely helps a lot too. You get more favourable draws.

“But yeah, I’ve been definitely playing my best. I think the results could have been a lot better. I think I let a couple of matches that I should have won slip away from me, and it’s pretty disappointing. But the overall level consistently has been much higher than usual, I would say, on clay for me.”

Fritz: I’m going deep in tournaments

The 25-year-old does have a minor concern about his failure to get past the semi-final stage in tournaments this season, but he has faith that will come.

“Yeah, it’s interesting how it works out because last year I was super up and down. I either lost first or second round in tournaments, or I just won the tournament.

“Last year every single tournament I made semi-finals, and I won. Then this year it’s the opposite. I’m not having a lot of early exits. I’m seeing myself pretty deep in tournaments, consistently playing a lot better, I’d say. But yeah, I’ve just lost some of those later-stage matches this year. That wasn’t the case last year.

“So I just have to keep putting myself in these situations, and I’ll win some eventually, you know.”

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