Fritz survives a delay and Fonseca challenge to reach quarters at Eastbourne

Eastbourne (U.K.), June 26 (IANS) American Taylor Fritz overcame a late scare from Joao Fonseca of Brazil on Thursday, overcoming the NextGenATP star in a match carried forward from the previous night at the Eastbourne Open, the ATP Tour grasscourt event being played a week before Wimbledon.

The second-round clash was suspended due to darkness on Wednesday evening after they split sets, and Fritz quickly regained his rhythm once play resumed. The three-time champion earned an early break and attempted to serve out the match at 5-3 in the final set before Fonseca fought back.

However, Fritz adjusted well to the windy conditions and a determined Fonseca to prevail 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-5 after two hours and two minutes and continued his love affair with the event. The top-seeded American, who owns the record for most titles won in Eastbourne (2019, 2022, 2024), will have to lace up and return to court later on Thursday to face countryman Marcos Giron in the quarterfinals.

“I’m really happy. I was really happy with the level of tennis last night, it’s a shame we couldn’t finish the match then,” said Fritz. “Coming out today, it was tough to really judge my grass-court play; there was a lot of scrapping around,” said the American star.

Fritz was looking assured on serve throughout the final set, during which he won all 11 points behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats, before the ninth game.

Despite stumbling at the final hurdle, however, Fritz was able to draw on his grass-court pedigree, which has helped him to three triumphs in Eastbourne and a first title of the season two weeks ago in Stuttgart.

The top-seeded Fritz takes a 4-2 ATP head-to-head lead into his clash with Giron. Fonseca, who is at a career-high No. 57 in the ATP Rankings, earned his maiden tour-level grass-court win over Zizou Bergs in the first round. The 18-year-old will now head to Wimbledon for his debut at the grass-court major.

In other quarterfinal matches in the event, France's Ugo Humbert, the fourth seed, advanced to the semifinals with a 7-6(4), 6-1 win over lucky loser Billy Harris of the United Kingdom. American Jenson Brooksby also made it to the last-four stage with a 6-2, 6-3 win over wildcard Daniel Evans.

--IANS

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