Unshakable Taylor Fritz defeats Matteo Berrettini to reach Miami Open semifinals

Taylor Fritz secured a 7-5, 5-7, 7-5 victory over Matteo Berrettini to advance to the Miami Open semifinals. The World No. 4 wrapped up the win in straight sets in just an hour and a half, setting up a showdown with 19-year-old sensation Jakub Mensik for a spot in the final.

Before this match, Fritz had struggled in Masters 1000 quarterfinals, holding a 1-4 record in such matches. His only previous win came at the 2022 Indian Wells, where he went on to claim his first and only Masters 1000 title to date.

Berrettini made an early statement by securing a break in the opening game, jumping ahead 1-0. However, Fritz quickly responded, breaking back immediately as the Italian struggled with consistency on his second serve. The American seized the opportunity to level the score at 1-1.

From there, both players held their serves comfortably. Fritz saved a couple of break points in the fifth game, while Berrettini fended off pressure in the sixth. The Italian was landing 79% of his first serves and winning 70% of those points, while Fritz managed a 62% first-serve percentage but was dominant when it landed, winning 86% of those points.

Just when it seemed the set would be decided in a tiebreak, Berrettini faltered under pressure, once again relying on second serves in key moments. Fritz took advantage, breaking at 6-5 and sealing the set 7-5. The Italian managed just 1/8 points on his second serve in the crucial moments, which ultimately made the difference.

The second set saw both players serving at an elite level. Fritz had an 85% first-serve percentage, while Berrettini was even higher at 93%, both winning over 80% of those points. Returns were ineffective on both sides, with neither player managing more than two points on return per game. Most service games were held to love, with minimal rallies.

However, Berrettini's biggest weakness remained his second serve. He faced a deuce situation when he was down 4-5, but managed to escape. On his next serve - at 5-6 - Berrettini saved a couple of match points and sent everything to a tiebreak.

In the deciding moment, Berrettini missed a couple of backhands in key errors that gave the advantage to Fritz at [6-3]. However, the 29-year-old Italian produced a remarkable comeback in the tie-break, saving four match points (three in a row) and ultimately winning the set in epic fashion by 7-6[8-6].

Berrettini had taken the spotlight away from Fritz, who, despite the disappointing end to the second set, started the third with full focus. However, Berrettini appeared more confident, and the longer rallies usually came when Fritz was serving.

Even so, the Italian was the first to face a break point but managed to save it. Little by little, Fritz grew bolder on return and began to turn things around. At 5-5, Berrettini played most of the points on his second serve, which, as had been the case throughout the match, gave Fritz an advantage on return. The American secured the break on his third opportunity and went on to seal the victory 7-5, 6-7[7-9], 7-5.

The 2024 US Open runner-up secured a crucial victory and will head into the semifinal as the favourite against surprise contender Jakub Mensik. Fritz remains the last American standing in the men’s draw, keeping local hopes alive in Miami.