Washington, Aug 4 (IANS) Taylor Fritz defeated first-time ATP 500 finalist Rafael Jodar 7-6(2), 6-4 to clinch his 11th ATP Tour title and first above ATP 250 level in nearly four years at the DC Open.
After rain had delayed the final, Fritz and Jodar both dominated on serve in the first set before the American found greater depth on return in the first-set tie-break to draw errors from Jodar and lead. The third seed then kept his foot on the gas at the start of the second set to race 3-0 ahead.
Fritz found greater depth on his groundstrokes in the second set, striking with authority whenever Jodar offered even the slightest opening to become just the second American to lift the Washington trophy since 2008, joining 2024 champion Sebastian Korda.
In a dramatic final game, Fritz saved one break point and eventually claimed victory on his fifth match point after one hour and 49 minutes. The American, who was bent over between points in the last game, collapsed to the ground after triumphing, before he returned to his feet to embrace the home crowd, DC Open reports.
The former World No. 4, who improved to 2-0 in his ATP Head2Head series with Jodar, is the eighth player this season to win an ATP Tour title after saving a match point during the tournament. Fritz leaves Washington up two places to No. 8 in the ATP Live Rankings and will next head to Montreal for the sixth ATP Masters 1000 event of the season.
Jodar has broken into the Top 20 for the first time after another impressive week. The 19-year-old was playing in just his second tour-level final after capturing his maiden ATP Tour title in Marrakech in April, while his run in Washington has also propelled him to 11th in the ATP Live Race To Turin.
The Spaniard is aiming to become just the third player, after Stefanos Tsitsipas and Carlos Alcaraz, to qualify for the ATP Finals one year after competing at the Next Gen ATP Finals.
“It was a really tough final and you are having an amazing season and at 19, on your first season on Tour, what you and your dad are doing is just incredible,” Fritz said to Jodar. “You are so young and are only going to get so much better.”
–IANS
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