It was a productive Tuesday evening for underdog Americans at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel. Just minutes after Ryan Harrison ousted world No. 12 Marin Cilic 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, fellow qualifier Taylor Fritz defeated eighth-seeded Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
By virtue of his first-round victory, Fritz has clinched a spot in the top 100 of the ATP rankings when the new ones are released next Monday. In fact, he is projected to climb into the top 90 regardless of his next result against Victor Estrella Burgos. The 18-year-old will become the youngest player in the top 100, displacing Alexander Zverev. Fritz is four months past his 18th birthday, while Zverev is two months shy of his 19th.
“Yeah, it feels amazing to have that consistency, to show I didn’t just do it that one time, to come back and do it again,” Fritz said, referring to his recent runner-up showing at an ATP 250-point event in Memphis. “I felt like the first set I played a really great game in the very first game to break. [Chardy] has a really big first serve and I made a lot of solid returns that game and kind of caught him a little off guard. I was able to serve well enough to hold serve throughout the set. Second set, I definitely had my chances to break but didn’t come up on the big points. He did. And the third set, I played about the best game I possibly good to get the early break. I played a lot of good shots.
“It’s amazing. I’ve wanted to be a tennis player my whole life. Being in the Top 100 puts things in perspective. I’m here and I only want to keep going up. This is a huge milestone for me.”
Harrison is hoping to make a return trip to the top 100 and needs a big week in Acapulco in order to keep that goal within striking distance, as he is defending semifinal points from last year. His upset of Cilic marked the second-best win in terms of opponent’s ranking in the 23-year-old’s career. His best came at this same event in 2015 with a three-set upset of then-No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov.
Harrison interview:
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#Merica
Fritz in straights and Harrison in three
Fritz I can in 2
Harrison in 3
However. ..in the Acapulco unit game, not sure where my remaining units go.
Harrison has been up and down (partly due to the destraction of his brother’s illness) but he was brimming with self confidence against a less than convincing Cilic last night whose confidence is waning exponentially and must be regretting his decision to undertake the arduous trip to Mexico.
Nice interview w/Harrison, and Taylor Fritz really looking good….should win in 3.
Wow! Harrison beat Cilic? Now that is something else! He certainly could use a victory like this.
Cilic was gassed. If he backs it up by beating Marchenko, then we can talk about something.
Harrison at one set a piece with matche ko. C’mon Ryan!! Get the W!!
Marchenko*
Harris up 3-1 in the third
was down 3-1 in the second
Are you kidding? He was up 3-1 in the third?? And after coming back from1-3 in the second he couldn’t even keep momentum up a break in the final set? C’mon Harrison. Really?
he was also up 4-2 in the third set tiebreaker
Seriously. Geez that sucks.
Only had the scores to follow but it did appear Harrison seized defeat from the jaws of victory. He was up a break, I felt happy for him, the next time I checked, he had lost in a lousy tb.
Stephens easily won — and McHale clawed her way back when I thought she’d lose — to win in 3. Merica!
at the same time, Harrison WAS down a set and 3-1 at one point
Yeah seem to remember that. Was resigned early that Harrison would lose. Then got happy too soon.
Watching Kei now and he just threw his racquet. Strange.
Fritzy wins again! 61 63
surprised Burgos got 4 games, but a win is a win
Hahahhaa same.
I’m not saying Fritz is gonna beat Querrey but I’m thinking Taylor will be pretty pleased to see he got Sam instead of kei. I could see an upset happening there with all the tennis Sam has played lately and the impressive tennis Fritz has been playing lately. TF will move up to 80 in the world now. Also Tursunov is up 3-0 on Thiem. Dominic seems off right now. I would love to see Tursunov get the win but I think Thiem will start playing more solid and extract errors from a rusty Tursunov. I was thinking Tursunov might get a set in this match but I didn’t think he would win and right now I don’t see why Thiem can’t come back. At the same time Tursunov seems focused and determined to do well in this match. Hope he can have a bit of a resurgence this season or something. He is playing more aggressive than Thiem right now that’s for sure. Let go Dmitry!!
Fritz will beat Querrey, and probably with ease
I hope so. I like Querrey and am happy he got the W tonight but I’m all for Fritz in that one. Vamos Taylor!!
Looks like the match between the DTs is going three.
well said