Photo by @taylor_fritz via Instagram.
Fritz Claims World No. 1 Junior Ranking with Semifinal Victory at Roland Garros
Seventeen-year old Taylor Fritz, of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., and 18-year old Tommy Paul, of Lumberton, N.J., will play each other Saturday for the French Open boys’ singles title in Paris, the first-ever all-American boys’ singles final at Roland Garros, dating back to 1947.
Fritz, seeded second in the French Open boys’ draw and ranked No. 3 in the world among juniors, will also be the No. 1-ranked junior in the world when the International Tennis Federation’s 18-and-under rankings come out Monday, becoming the first American to hold the ITF’s No. 1 boys’ ranking since Donald Young in 2005. Fritz’s 6-1, 6-2 victory over No. 4 Corentin Denolly, of France, in Friday’s semifinals will allow him to leapfrog current No. 1 Orlando Luz, of Brazil, and No. 2 Andrey Rublev, of Russia.
No. 13 seed Paul, a University of Georgia recruit who won his first two professional titles at ITF Men’s Futures events in Spain and Italy, respectively, in the weeks leading up to the French Open, beat No. 6 seed Michael Mmoh (17, Bradenton, Fla.), 6-4, 6-3, in the other semifinal to set up the second all-American boys’ singles final in the last four junior Grand Slams. This was also the second time in the last four junior Slams that three of the boys’ semifinalists were American, after Fritz, Noah Rubin and Stefan Kozlov reached the boys’ semifinals at Wimbledon last year (Rubin defeated Kozlov in the final).
Former American French Open boys’ singles champions are: Bjorn Fratangelo (2011), John McEnroe (1977), Cliff Richey (1964), Butch Buchholz (1958) and Ham Richardson (1951).
Paul can also become the first American to sweep the French Open boys’ singles and doubles titles, as he and William Blumberg (17, Greenwich, Conn.) advanced to the boys’ doubles final. The American team of Caroline Dolehide (16, Hinsdale, Ill.) and Katerina Stewart (17, Miami) will play for the French Open girls’ doubles title, as well.
Live results are available via the French Open website: www.rolandgarros.com.
Topics: 2015 French Open, Junior Tennis, Paris, Roland Garros, Taylor Fritz, Tennis News, Tommy Paul
-@taylor_fritz97 TO FACE TOMMY PAUL IN FIRST-EVER ALL-AMERICAN #FrenchOpen #TENNIS BOYS’ FINAL http://t.co/LAVSaUZl4H #RG15 #FrenchOpenFinal