Taylor Fritz defeats Terence Atmane in Shanghai | ATP Tour

Match Report

Tie-break Taylor! Fritz squeezes past Atmane in Shanghai

Turin hopefuls Dimitrov, Tiafoe also notch opening wins in China

October 07, 2024

It may have taken 48 hours, but Taylor Fritz ensured his big plans for the final stretch of the 2024 season remain on course with a hard-earned opening victory Monday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

The American kept his cool in the face of a free-spirited performance from Terence Atmane to secure a 7-6(4), 7-6(5) triumph at the Chinese ATP Masters 1000. After rain forced the second-round clash to be suspended with Fritz leading 4-3 on serve on Saturday afternoon, the seventh seed on Monday completed a two-hour, three-minute victory under the roof inside Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena.

The US Open finalist Fritz remains fifth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and is in a strong position to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, where he made his debut in 2022. Yet the American was determined to take things one step at a time after passing a tough test from Atmane in the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash.

“I don’t want to speak too soon, but I think I’m in a good position,” said Fritz. “I’m not thinking so much about the goal of reaching the finals right now, because I’m fifth in the race. If the goal is that and I get panicky, it would be like, ‘Let’s just not slip four spots’. My goal right now is to finish the year in the Top 5, keep my place. I think that’s just a better mindset to have, both to qualify for the finals and play good tennis for the rest of the year.”

Firing on all cylinders 🔥@Taylor_Fritz97 keeps his perfect Shanghai opening round record intact, defeating Atmane 7-6(4) 7-6(5).@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/Aejpiu9R4L

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 7, 2024

Against Atmane, Fritz crucially saved the only two break points of the opening set from 15/40 in the ninth game, and after clinching the first-set tie-break he established a 4-2 lead in the second set. Yet the Frenchman continued to push Fritz, and he was only defeated once the American again found something extra late on to clinch the second set in a tie-break.

“I think his ability to basically hit a winner from anywhere on the court made it very tough,” said Fritz. “Because sometimes I almost felt like if I wanted to be the aggressor in the rally, I had to go on when I maybe didn’t want to go on. Then sometimes I had to take just a more defensive, solid approach to the points, let him pull the trigger and if he makes it, he makes it.

“That uncertainty of what if he does make it is always uncomfortable. He was playing really well, serving well on big points, so it’s great to get through that in two sets.”

Fritz’s next assignment in Shanghai will be a third-round clash on Tuesday against Yosuke Watanuki. The 26-year-old Fritz is now 5-0 in opening rounds at the Chinese Masters 1000, but is yet to reach the fourth round across his five appearances.