FRANCES TIAFOE OUTLASTS TAYLOR FRITZ IN INDIAN WELLS BATTLE OF RISING AMERICAN TENNIS STARS BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 10th March 2016

FRANCES TIAFOE OUTLASTS TAYLOR FRITZ IN INDIAN WELLS BATTLE OF RISING AMERICAN TENNIS STARS BY RICKY DIMON |

Frances Tiafoe at the 2016 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Photo by Alejandro Gonzalez.

Frances Tiafoe scored his biggest win of his professional career at the expense of a good friend on Thursday afternoon at the BNP Paribas Open. In a showdown between up-and-coming Americans, Tiafoe edged a red-hot Taylor Fritz 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 in one hour and 36 minutes. Tiafoe served at 73 percent and fired nine aces while double-faulting only once to set up a meeting with David Goffin.

“Winning a match in Indian Wells is huge,” the Maryland native assured. “To play a friend early, as two wild cards, it was unbelievable. It’s a dream to play on this court. There’s so many great matches played on that court.”

It was a court on which Tiafoe and Fritz warmed up side by side–along with Juan Martin Del Potro–earlier in the day. And it’s not like the two 18-year-olds are not used to being around each other. They rose up through the junior ranks together, with Tiafoe holding a 3-0 series lead over Fritz at that level of competition. But it is Fritz whose pro career has been on a more meteoric rise, as he is up to No. 80 in the world thanks in part to an ATP final appearance (lost to Kei Nishikori in Memphis last month).

Taylor Fritz serves the ball to Frances Tiafoe at the 2016 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Photo by Alejandro Gonzalez.

It would be to say that on this occasion, however, confidence in the head-to-head matchup trumped current form. Using a massive forehand to dictate baseline play and jump on his opponent’s second serves, Tiafoe improved to 4-0 lifetime overall at Fritz’s expense.

In doing so, the world No. 177 won for just the second time in his career at the ATP level. And it came on what is arguably the biggest stage in the sport outside of the four Grand Slams.

“I treated just like a regular match,” the rising American star said. “At the end of the day you just play the ball. Obviously it’s Indian Wells. You’re playing on [one of the biggest courts] in tennis, but you just want to stay in between the lines and go for point to point.”

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: 10sballs.com, 2016 BNP Paribas Open, Atp World Tour, Frances Tiafoe, Indian Wells Tennis, Ricky Dimon, Sports, Taylor Fritz, Tennis, Tennis News

Follow 10SBALLS.COM on:

Facebook:

Twitter:

10sBalls Top Stories

In Case You Missed It

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA

Tennis Canada announced on Wednesday that Eugenie Bouchard is the winner of the 2018 Excellence Awards in the Female Player of the Year and Singles Player of the Year categories.

TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE

Time to get tickets to watch! Surly you have heard about The Largest Open Tennis Event in America!

TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER

According to Uncle Toni, Rafael Nadal was supposed to be back at practice on either Dec. 4 or 5. Well, better late than never!

Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife

Española y checa ya trabajaron juntas durante el pasado Open de Estados Unidos

ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS

Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia hits a forehand to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia during her second round match at the Nature Valley International tennis tournament in Eastbourne, Great Britain, on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.