Delray Beach final preview and prediction: Fritz vs. Paul

It’s a blockbuster final at the Delray Beach Open as top seed Taylor Fritz takes on No. 3 seed Tommy Paul for the title on Sunday afternoon.

The two Americans have been the two best players of the week, so it’s fitting that they are the last two standing. Fortunately for the fans, their previous matches have been mostly competitive–so the crowd should be in for an entertaining match.

Paul has plenty of reason to be fatigued. The world No. 14 just won the title last week in Dallas over fellow American Marcos Giron. That he made a second consecutive final this week speaks to his fitness. By comparison, prior to this week Fritz had not played since he made the quarterfinals of the Australian Open–so he is by far the fresher of the two players.

Paul and Fritz have split their wins at two apiece, with the last coming for Paul in a wild match last year in the Acapulco semis–which lasted three and a half hours. If that encounter is anything to go by, Sunday’s final should be a real treat.

Fritz is the more seasoned player. He has been a top American player since the end of 2021, and despite some spotty results at the majors and some competition from the likes of Paul, Ben Shelton and others, he has led the American charge fairly comfortably. If fatigue was more of a factor, or Paul had to work harder in his semifinal, Fritz might have the edge. However, Paul breezed past Frances Tiafoe and looked fresh as a daisy in the process.

Cheryl pick: Paul in 3

Ricky pick: Fritz in 3

[yop_poll id=”859″]