By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday February 14, 2024
The 2023 Delray champion got off to a steady start with a straight sets victory over Portugal's Nuno Borges.
Photo Source: Delray Beach Open
Taylor Fritz stood tall in the biggest moments as he moved past rising Nuno Borges of Portugal on Wednesday evening in Delray Beach.
It added up to a 7-6(5), 6-4 victory and a spot in his 46th career ATP quarterfinal.
Fritz was under the gun against the 46th-ranked Borges, who is the second ATP player from Portugal to ever break the Top 50, but held his ground, saving a set point with Borges serving for the opening set at 5-4, 40-30 before break serve and eventually taking set one in a tight tiebreak.
Fritz broke early in set two, converting his third break point to take a 1-0 lead, then saved a break point to consolidate for 2-0.
It was the last break point he would face in the evening. Fritz held at love to finish off Borges in one hour and 33 minutes. He finished with 14 aces and dropped just five of 39 points on serve.
“It’s not the easiest conditions to play in,” Fritz said. “Court, balls, everything. It’s not as forgiving as a lot of other places so it’s very easy to miss a lot of balls here – it’s a lot like last year, how I started out here. I had to play a lot more solid, safer, more disciplined and just kind of be patient with myself when some of the shots I go for don’t go in. I’m really happy with how I competed.
Fritz, a six-time title winner on tour, is aiming to successfully defend a title for the first time. The 26-year-old will face Rinky Hijikata in the quarterfinals.
It was a good night for Americans, as Marcos Giron, last week’s runner-up in Dallas, defeated Adrian Mannarino for the second time in as many weeks to reach the quarterfinals.
30-year-old Giron has won five of his last seven matches against Top 20 players. He will face fellow American Patrick Kypson in the last eight.