Washington: Fritz secures 250th hardcourt win in ATP opener

By Arjun Nair / 28.07.2026

By Arjun Nair — 28 July 2026 — 3 min read

Taylor Fritz, ranked number 10 in the world, achieved his 250th hardcourt victory on Monday at the ATP and WTA Washington Open. The American third seed defeated Zizou Bergs of Belgium, advancing to the second round of the tournament. The match concluded in 79 minutes with a score of 6-3, 6-4.

Fritz, who is seeking his 11th career ATP title, last secured a title at Eastbourne last year. During his opening match in Washington, he delivered eight aces and successfully defended all four break points he faced. This performance set the tone for the match, with Fritz starting with an ace.

Fritz’s Dominant Performance

The American’s serve proved to be a significant factor in his victory. Even when his first serve percentage was below 50 percent, he won 80 percent of those serves that landed. He also maintained a 71 percent win rate on his second serves. Fritz noted that the momentum shifted in his favor after he served out the first set and secured an early break in the second.

The first set saw Fritz break Bergs in the fourth game. Despite facing three break points and five deuces later in the set, he managed to hold serve and close out the set 6-3. In the second set, Fritz again secured an early break, maintaining control of the match. He was able to counter any potential comeback attempts from Bergs with well-placed serves.

Fritz will now face either fellow American Tommy Paul or Kamil Majchrzak of Poland in the second round. Paul is considered a strong contender for that match. If Paul advances, it would mark the seventh encounter between the two long-time friends, with their previous six matches resulting in three wins for each player.

Other Tournament Highlights

In other men’s singles action, fourth seed Lorenzo Muzetti advanced after his Italian compatriot Matteo Arnaldi retired with Muzetti leading 6-0, 3-1. Alejandro Tabilo of Chile also progressed, defeating Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 7-6, 4-6, 6-4.

Defending champion and seventh seed Leylah Fernandez of Canada secured a victory in her opening women’s singles match, beating Magda Linette of Poland 6-1, 6-4 in 79 minutes. Fernandez, a 2021 US Open runner-up, expressed satisfaction with her solid game, highlighting her ability to avoid giving away free points. She will next compete against either Alexandra Eala of the Philippines or Zheng Qinwen of China.

American eighth seed Emma Navarro defeated compatriot Sofia Kenin 6-0, 7-5, setting up a second-round match against Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto. Cocciaretto advanced after a close match against Denmark’s Clara Tauson, winning 4-6, 7-6, 7-6. Additionally, Venus Williams, a former world number one and winner of seven Grand Slam singles titles, partnered with Diana Shnaider of Russia to win their women’s doubles opener 6-3, 6-4 against Ulrikke Eikeri of Norway and American Quinn Gleason.

Meanwhile, Jack Draper of Britain withdrew from the event due to a left arm injury, having also missed Wimbledon. His spot in the main draw was filled by American Mackenzie McDonald as a lucky loser. Top seed and defending champion Alex de Minaur of Australia, who secured his 11th career ATP title in February by winning his third consecutive Rotterdam Open crown, was idle on Monday and is scheduled to face Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in his first-round match.

Source: hindustantimes.com