[Singles Round 2]
○ Taylor Fritz (USA) [2]  7-5, 7-6(4)  ● Nuno Borges (POR)

■Although both sets were closely contested, their dynamics were quite different. In the first set, Fritz’s service games were 5solid. Apart from the first game—which he dropped after a string of early errors—he surrendered just four points across his next five service games. While he struggled to create clear break chances in return games, he capitalized on Borges’ mistakes in the 12th game to secure his second break and take the set.

■The second set was a stark contrast, with Borges putting Fritz under pressure during rallies. Fritz was broken in the third game, recovered with a break in the sixth, but then lost serve again in the seventh. He managed to break back in the eighth game, yet from that point on, he could barely win points in rallies and had to rely on his serve to stay in the match.

■Fritz ultimately prevailed in a second-set tiebreak to seal a straight-sets win. “It was a tough match—both sets were,” he said after nearly two hours on court. “It’s rare for me to get broken that many times, but I fought back and played well when it mattered. I’m happy I got the two sets.”
This victory marks Fritz’s first quarterfinal appearance here since his title run in 2022. He will next face fellow American Sebastian Korda. “He’s had a lot of injuries, so I think he’s a bit underrated right now,” said Fritz. “His ranking has dropped, but he’s a really good player.” No signs of complacency from the No. 2 seed.

(Japan Tennis Association)