‘This has been my best year on clay’ – Fritz in ominous form at Roland-Garros
Taylor Fritz has already said he’s not sure if he’s good on clay – his performance against Michael Mmoh offered some evidence
Taylor Fritz (Chryslene Caillaud/Panoramic)
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.
“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.”
People in this post
More tennis news
Dow Tennis Classic: Sharma books spot in quarter-finals
Cali Open: Begu reaches semi-finals
Dow Tennis Classic: Miller beats Kudermetova in epic, advances to quarter-finals
Sabalenka v Gauff: Head-to-head, stats, everything you need to know
Metz Open: Michelsen books spot in last four
