Fritz Edges Rublev to Reach ATP Toronto Masters Semis

Toronto, Canada — US second seed Taylor Fritz celebrated a hard-fought victory over Andrey Rublev on Tuesday, advancing to the semi-finals of the ATP Toronto Masters. Fritz won their match 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), a contest that lasted 83 minutes.

Despite a late wobble while serving for the match, Fritz secured his place in his fifth semi-final of the season. He faced a tense moment after losing serve when he was trying to close out what looked like a straightforward win.

Next, Fritz will compete against fourth seed Ben Shelton, who reached the semi-finals by defeating Australian Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4. Shelton, who served 11 aces in his 91-minute match, showed strong form and determination on the court.

“I’m really happy with that performance. It showed mental toughness from start to finish,” Shelton said after his victory. He noted that this win boosts his confidence going into the semi-final.

Fritz reflected on his match against Rublev, revealing that he experienced a moment of panic while serving for victory at a set and 5-4. “That game was so shaky for me… The pressure of that game made my brain just turn off,” he stated.

After a brief struggle, Fritz composed himself and closed out the match 15 minutes later in a tiebreaker, finishing with a personal-best 20 aces among 29 winners. This win improved his record against Rublev to 6-4, marking his successful run that includes 19 wins in his last 22 matches, highlighted by a semi-final appearance at Wimbledon.