Rafael Nadal already has plenty of scar tissue from the Nitto ATP Finals over the years. Taylor Fritz, as a debut entrant, has no such issue.
In their opening match in Turin on Sunday night, Fritz performed like the much more confident player and handed Nadal a 7-6(3), 6-1 loss as round-robin competition in the Green Group got underway. The American prevailed after one hour and 37 minutes and will face fellow winner Casper Ruud on Tuesday.
“It feels great,” Fritz said. “I felt like coming out in the first match especially for my hopes of getting out of the group, I didn’t want to put myself in a position where I needed to win out if I move on. I played a great match and I couldn’t be happier…. I feel good. The way I served and played today was great and I’ll look to do that again.”
Ruud defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6(4), 6-4, which sends the Canadian into a matchup with Nadal on Tuesday. With both players 0-1 overall and 0-2 in total sets, it’s a virtual must-win situation for each man.
“It’s a match like a normal tournament already, because the loser will (probably) go out of the tournament,” Nadal assessed. “(I have to) just accept that I need to do better things. I hope to be ready to make that happen. [Felix is finishing] the season playing unbelievable, winning (three) tournaments in a row, playing so well. (It’s) another big challenge.”
This is only the 36-year-old’s second event since the U.S. Open and the first one resulted in an immediate loss to Tommy Paul at the Paris Masters, so he is low on both confidence and matches.
“I need more matches to play at this kind of level, even if I am practicing well — much better than how I am competing, without a doubt,” he explained. “That’s normal. At the end (this) is not the ideal tournament and probably (the) part of the season to come back after a couple of months without being on the tour, because you don’t have time to get confidence.
“In the beginning you have very tough opponent in front (of you), on a surface that very small details make the difference. These small details probably goes the way the player who [has] better confidence. That was not my case last couple of matches, and that’s it. (I have to) accept, keep working; that’s the only way. I know I am practicing well and with the right attitude and doing the right things, (but) in the matches I [am not improving].
“In this tournament I still have a chance. But of course (I’m) not happy about the beginning.”
tough start for Rafa