ATP Tour

Flying Fritz channels inner Davidovich Fokina to Wimbledon R4, Jarry sinks Fonseca

Taylor Fritz flipped the script on Friday at Wimbledon, where he channeled a bit of Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s own gritty energy to move past the Spaniard into the fourth round.

After two testing five-set clashes to reach this stage, Fritz delivered a more dominant display to triumph 6-4, 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-1. The fifth-seeded American twice received a medical timeout to treat a cut on his right elbow from diving on the grass — something Davidovich Fokina is known for — before earning a three-hour, 12-minute victory.

In the fourth game of the second set, Davidovich Fokina charged the net and produced a clean drop shot, which sent Fritz diving to the grass in a bid to recover it. He subsequently lost the point and received his first medical timeout of the day during that game.

“It’s getting pretty annoying having to stop all the time,” Fritz said with a smile when asked about his diving. “I feel bad for my opponent when I keep having to stop all the time, but you can only really do it on grass. I’m just really determined to get some of these balls, and eventually I’m going to win one of these points.”

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Competing in front of a star-studded lineup in the Royal Box, which included British boxer Anthony Joshua, Fritz failed to serve out the match at 5-3 in the third set when Davidovich Fokina produced an inspired turn in form to extend their third-round clash. Yet Fritz quickly brushed aside the momentum shift by sealing an early break and racing into the fourth round at SW19 for the third time in four years.

Fritz took another medical timeout after winning the second set to treat a blister on his right foot, but he showed few signs of discomfort en route to levelling his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Davidovich Fokina at 3-3.

After winning a record-extending fourth title in Eastbourne, where he defeated Davidovich Fokina in the semi-finals, Fritz is riding a seven-match winning streak. In the fourth round at Wimbledon for the third time, the two-time quarter-finalist Fritz will next face Jordan Thompson after the Australian beat Luciano Darderi 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

Fritz produced a memorable fourth-round comeback win against Alexander Zverev, in which he rallied from two sets down to stun the fourth seed. Currently at No. 5 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, Fritz has the opportunity to reclaim the World No. 4 spot from Jack Draper, who was upset by Marin Cilic on Thursday, with another deep run at Wimbledon.

In other action on Day 5, qualifier Nicolas Jarry reached the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time, equalling his best result at the major. The Chilean overcame #NextGenATP Brazilian Joao Fonseca 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(4) in three hours and nine minutes.

Jarry, up 48 spots to No. 95 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, hit 24 aces and saved 10 of the 11 break points he faced to advance. The 29-year-old will meet home favourite Cameron Norrie in the fourth round after the British lefty downed Mattia Bellucci 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-3.

Norrie has fond memories at SW19, having advanced to the semi-finals in 2022. Last month he enjoyed a run to the last 16 at Roland Garros.

Fonseca, 18, was making his Wimbledon debut. The Brazilian, who won his first ATP Tour title in Buenos Aires earlier this year, beat Jacob Fearnley and Jenson Brooksby in his first two matches and leaves London up seven places at No. 47 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.