The ATP Dallas Open has now reached the final four. Like in every major sport, the final four is a big deal. These are the teams or in this case, the players that are vying to prove their hard work throughout got them to this point. Dallas has seen some fine action this week, let’s take a look to see who made the final four.
ATP Dallas Open Quarterfinal Recap
(2) Frances Tiafoe vs (6) J.J. Wolf
The first match of the day was a battle of the Americans as second seed Frances Tiafoe took on the sixth-seeded J.J. Wolf. A highly competitive set ensued between the two with both players breaking the other to start the match. Wolf got tested early in the second game of the match, on serve, Wolf faced four break points. He was able to get out of the game without dropping his serve. Any relief was short-lived, however, as Tiafoe broke Wolf in his very next service game to go up 3-2.
Tiafoe was tested himself in his next service game as Wolf looked to pounce on the Tiafoe serve. The fifth game of the match saw it go to deuce three times and Wolf had the opportunity to break twice. But the second seed did not waver and he was able to hold serve to increase his lead to 4-2. Tiafoe kept that lead and it pushed him to win the opening set with one of his three first-set aces at 6-4.
A break occurred early yet again in the second set as it was Wolf who grabbed the lead early to go up 3-1. Wolf took that and ran with it as he extended his lead to go up 4-1, serving at love in his next service game. The struggles Wolf faced in the opening set were not apparent here as he never faced one break point in the second set. Actually, both players served well. Tiafoe only faced two break points but the one break that Wolf got was all that was needed. Wolf took the second set 6-3.
At one set apiece, both players really ramped up their games. Long, extended rallies, and exceptional ground strokes. Everything you would want from a final set and more. Each player held serve throughout, that was until Frances Tiafoe stepped to the line to serve at 4-4. At 30-40, Wolf cracked a forehand down the line and breaking to go up 5-4 and serve for the match. It wasn’t an easy game for Wolf as he faced break point twice in this game, being down 15-40. In the end, Wolf his sixth ace of the match and prevailed in three grueling sets.
(1) Taylor Fritz vs (7) Marcos Giron
In the other all-American match, top seed Taylor Fritz took on seventh seed Marcos Giron. The opening set was a serving masterclass for both players. Each American served over 60% on first serves and didn’t face one break point.
The first set culminated in a tiebreak and Fritz took an early lead, going up 4-2 at the change of ends. He continued to stretch his lead, going up 6-3 in the breaker. Giron kept battling back, getting it 6-6 and eventually taking the lead 7-6. Ultimately, however, Fritz kept his composure and was able to close it out 9-7 in the first set tiebreaker.
The second set saw the Fritz serve go off a little bit. His first serve percentage in set one was 71%. Set number two, he saw it drop to 58%. In fact, Fritz was broken to love in his first service game of hte second set. Giron continued his momentum and stretched his lead to 3-0. Giron continued winning on his serve and just like the first set didn’t face one break point as he evened up this match at a set a piece, winning the set 6-3.
Up to this point, Marcos Giron was not broken the entire match. He didn’t even face a break point. That was until the first service game of the final set for Giron. Fritz had a break chance at 30-40 but Giron was able to get it to deuce. Yet again, Fritz had a break chance and this time Giron cracked. For the first time in the entire match, Taylor Fritz broke Giron’s serve to take the lead 2-0.
After Fritz got the lead, he never relinquished it. Never faced one break point the entire third set as was able to win cheap points with his serve. At 5-3 in the final set, Fritz hit his ninth ace of the match down the line and it was a semifinal berth for the American from Rancho Santa Fe, California.
(5) John Isner vs Emilio Gomez
It was the third match in a row featuring an American player as fifth seed Isner took on Ecuador’s Emilio Gomez. The opening set saw each player hold serve without many complications. With Gomez serving at 3-3, Isner was looking to change that as he jumped out to a 0-40 lead. Gomez, through sheer brilliance, held on and stayed even with the big-serving American.
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In the very next game, Isner ran into trouble as he was down 15-40 on his serve. Just as it has so many times over the course of his career, his serve bailed him out and was able to stay even in the first set. Neither player faced another break point as we ended set number one in a tiebreak. In this tiebreak, it was as back and forth as you can get. Neither player was giving in. Eventually, Gomez grabbed a 7-6 lead but then Isner took the lead back at 8-7. Finally, Isner was able to close it out 10-8.
The second set was just as competitive as the first. Both held their serve to get to 5-5. Isner was serving an incredible rate in this set with 13 aces. Gomez stepped to the line to keep pace with Isner but Gomez who faced a break point in his previous service game was not able to save this one. Isner broke Gomez at 5-6 and won the match in straight sets 7-6(8) 7-5. Isner, who made the semifinals in Dallas last year, takes on fellow American Wolf in the semifinals.
(8) Adrian Mannarino vs Wu Yibing
Ei#ghth seed Adrian Mannarino took on surprise quarterfinalist Wu Yibing. If Wu’s match against Denis Shapovalov was his coming out party, this was his coronation. Serving six aces in the opening set, breaking the Mannarino serve three times and playing exceptionally. Wu was one set away from an ATP semifinal as he won the opening set 6-3.
In the second set, Wu continued his strong play as he broke Mannarino in the opening game. Wu extended his lead, breaking Mannarino at love to go up 4-1. Mannarino broke Wu on his next service game to get the score back to 3-4. Wu’s exceptional play kept going late into this set as his groundstrokes were booming off the court. At 5-4, Wu stepped to the line and served his way into an ATP semifinal.
Main photo credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
