Taylor Fritz recovered from letting slip six match points in a dramatic second set to maintain a perfect record against Matteo Berrettini on Thursday at the Miami Open presented by Itau.
The third seed overcame the Italian 7-5, 6-7(7), 7-5 after a thrilling two-hour, 44-minute quarter-final, during which Fritz was on the verge of a straight-sets victory with a 6/3 lead in the second-set tie-break. The American earlier held two consecutive match points on return at 6-5, including one he squandered by missing a backhand down-the-line return by centimetres.
“It was tough. I kept trying to tell myself that he played well and it’s not as much on me, so try not to get frustrated,” Fritz said when reflecting on the end of the second set. “I think my best looks there I had three match points seeing a second serve from him. I think I really have to win one of those.
“I can’t be too frustrated with the 6/5 point, I honestly hit a really, really good serve and he full-commit leaned there. If I would’ve gone 110 mph wide, I probably would’ve aced him. He committed hard for the return and he crushed it. I got to give it to him, he raised his level a lot.”
Fritz is into his sixth ATP Masters 1000 semi-final and first in Miami. Up next for the eight-time tour-level titlist is Czech Jakub Mensik, who will be competing in his maiden ATP Masters 1000 semi-final.
Fritz, 14-5 on the season, holds a 1-0 lead in his Lexus ATP Head2Head with the 19-year-old Mensik. Their lone meeting came at the 2023 US Open, where the home favourite won a third-round encounter 6-1, 6-2, 6-0.
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