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Match Details
Fixture: (1) Taylor Fritz vs (PR) Kei Nishikori
Date: July 28, 2023
Tournament: Atlanta Open 2023
Round: Quarterfinal
Venue: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Hardcourt
Prize money: $737,170
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Australia - beIN Sports | Canada - TSN
Taylor Fritz vs Kei Nishikori preview
Top seed Taylor Fritz will square off against former top-five player Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Atlanta Open on Friday.
After a first-round bye, Fritz faced Yibing Wu in the second round, who won their previous encounter at this year's Dallas Open in three sets. The American was off to a fast start as he quickly built up a 4-0 lead in the first set. While he dropped the next three games, he still remained ahead by a break.
Fritz then served for the set at 5-4, and after saving a break point, he closed out the opener on his fifth set point. Neither player managed to secure an advantage for themselves in the second set, with Wu also wasting a couple of set points at 5-4. It proved to be costly for him as the American came out on top in the tie-break to win the match 6-4, 7-6 (5).
Nishikori moved past Jordan Thompson in two tight sets to set up a second-round date against Shang Jungcheng. The Japanese veteran started the match by breaking his younger opponent's serve, who eventually did manage to level the score.
But Nishikori snagged another break to put himself in the driver's seat and held on to the lead this time to clinch the set. After trading service breaks early on in the second set, the two remained steady on serve for the rest of it. The 33-year-old gained the upper hand in the ensuing tie-break to win the contest 6-4, 7-6 (3).
Taylor Fritz vs Kei Nishikori head-to-head
Nishikori leads Fritz 3-0 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2019 Italian Open in straight sets.
Taylor Fritz vs Kei Nishikori odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Taylor Fritz vs Kei Nishikori prediction
Nishikori's comeback has been going rather well. Competing in his first ATP tournament after a few Challenger events, he has already made it to the quarterfinals. The Japanese served well, hit some great volleys, and his backhand did some heavy lifting as well.
Fritz avenged his loss to Wu from earlier this season by defeating him in straight sets this time around. The American hit 10 aces and won 72% of his first serve points. While he has never won a match against Nishikori, he has transformed into a different player in the 33-year-old's absence from the tour.
Nishikori will have to contend with Fritz's big forehand, which could put him on the backfoot if it's firing perfectly. The veteran has played quite well so far, but getting the better of the American could prove to be a bit much for him at this point.
Pick: Taylor Fritz to win in three sets.
