Taylor Fritz Dominates in Opening Match of DC Open

Strong Start for Top Seeded Fritz

Top-seeded Taylor Fritz kicked off his North American hard-court season with an impressive performance at the DC Open, defeating Aleksandar Vukic in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. Fritz showcased his powerful serve by hitting 11 aces and successfully saving the only break point he faced during the match.

Building on Recent Success

Fritz, who recently reached the semifinals at Wimbledon, aims to replicate his strong performance from last year, where he made it to his first Grand Slam final at the US Open. With this victory, he is well-positioned to continue his momentum as he progresses through the tournament.

Upcoming Challenge

After receiving a first-round bye, Fritz is set to face Matteo Arnaldi in the third round. Arnaldi advanced by eliminating No. 16 seed Lorenzo Sonego with a score of 7-5, 7-5, setting the stage for an exciting matchup.

Other Seeded Players Advance

In addition to Fritz, several other seeded players also moved forward in the tournament. Notable advancements include:

• No. 7 Alex De Minaur
• No. 8 Daniil Medvedev
• No. 9 Flavio Cobolli
• No. 11 Jiri Lehecka

Upsets in the Draw

However, the tournament saw some surprising results as well. No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev fell to 19-year-old American Learner Tien, losing 7-5, 6-2. Additionally, No. 10 Alexei Popyrin was defeated by qualifier Wu Yibing in a closely contested match, ending with a score of 7-5, 5-7, 6-3. Tien’s victory marks his fourth win this season against top 10 ranked opponents, highlighting his rising talent in the sport.

This report includes contributions from The Associated Press.