By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday June 28, 2024
The American edged Aleksandar Vukic to reach the final at Eastbourne.
Photo Source: TTV
Different year, same story.
Top-seeded Taylor Fritz is one win from becoming the first player to win three titles at the Rothesay Open in Eastbourne, as the two-time champion edged past Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic 7-6(5), 7-6(4) to book a final with another Aussie, Max Purcell.
Fritz was perfect under pressure, improving to 16-3 in tiebreaks on the season as he held the lucky loser at bay to improve to 13-4 lifetime at Eastbourne.
“It’s tough in those matches,” Fritz said. “I feel like I had a lot of chances to break and I just couldn’t make it happen. It doesn’t feel good just kind of scraping by, getting it done in breakers but it gives me a lot of confidence that I’m finding ways to win.”
The 2019 and 2022 champion is one of six players to hold two Eastbourne titles, along with Jonas Bjorkman, Richard Gasquet, Iva Karlovic, Feliciano Lopez and Greg Rusedski. He can pass them all with a win over Purcell on Saturday.
“This is extra special to me because this is where I got my first title,” Fritz said. “This place is always going to be a special tournament for me, that’s why I love coming back and hopefully I’ll be back tomorrow to get number three.”
Fritz hit 15 aces and lost just two first-serve points in the match. He saved the only break point he faced and controlled both tiebreaks to secure his victory in one hour and 51 minutes.
Purcell reached his first ATP final with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over Great Britain’s Billy Harris earlier on Friday.