Taylor Fritz had a strong performance at the Madrid Open, but his journey came to an end against Andrey Rublev, leaving him disappointed.
Fritz was on the brink of reaching the semi-finals at the Madrid Open, facing a familiar opponent who had troubled him in the past. Despite Rublev losing to Fritz on multiple occasions, the court conditions in Madrid favored Fritz’s style of play.
However, Fritz encountered a setback as he transitioned to playing on different courts than he was used to, affecting his performance. The La Caja Magica venue, which hosts the main courts of the ATP Masters 1000 event, presented a contrast in playing conditions between the outside and main courts.
Fritz’s experience on the faster outside courts didn’t prepare him for the slower and more slippery conditions of the main court, leading to a decline in his level of play.
“When I was playing on I guess Arantxa Sanchez [Vicario] and Stadium 3. I feel like, for sure, it’s faster in there it’s bouncing higher in there. Center court’s definitely slower and it was pretty slippery as well.”
While the conditions played a role, Fritz acknowledged that his defeat was not solely attributed to them. Rublev performed admirably, but Fritz’s own shortcomings, particularly in serving, also contributed to the loss against the Russian.
“I wish I would have served a lot better. I’ve been serving well all week, I didn’t serve well and I just felt very, like I said, I felt like the court was, I know for a fact that there’s not as much clay on Center than all the other courts.”
Looking ahead, Fritz aims to replicate his level of play at the Italian Open in Rome next week, where he will face different court conditions. Despite the change in pace, Fritz is determined to adapt and perform well.
