After a week of shock upsets and tight matches, the final of the first event of the US Open Series features two exciting up and coming players in our sport.
Alex De Minaur vs Taylor Fritz
Taylor Fritz has been having the best year of his career on the ATP Tour, proving he is a skilled player on all three surfaces. The American’s big serve and forehand combination contributed to him winning his first ATP Title at Eastbourne in the run up to Wimbledon. Before the grass court season, Fritz played more clay court events than he had done previously, a move that paid off as he made the last 16 in Monte Carlo and the semifinals in Lyon. His backhand has also become more consistent and he has become a more versatile player. In Alex De Minaur, Fritz comes up against a fellow rising star of the game.
A year younger than the American, the Aussie also won his first ATP Title this season, at the beginning of the year in Sydney. This good to start to the year continued with a solid run to the third round of the Australian Open. Since then his best results have been making the quarterfinals in Acapulco and S-Hertogenbosch, so it’s good to see De Minaur back in the final weekend of a tournament. In terms of this match, both players have advantages over the other. Fritz possesses a thunderous serve combined with a brilliant forehand and overall he has more firepower than the Aussie. However, De Minaur is the better mover and is more consistent from the back of the court. Both men were pushed to deciding sets in their semifinals and it’s difficult to see this match being in straight sets. It promises to be a very close match, and I think the Fritz serve will be the deciding factor in the big moments.
Prediction: Fritz in 3
Main Photo from Getty
