The Lexus Eastbourne Open clash between top seed Taylor Fritz and young star Joao Fonseca got suspended due to darkness. The exciting second-round tennis match was stopped after each player won one set.
Fritz begins on a high note
Taylor Fritz, the top-ranked American, started strong, winning the first set 6-3 in just 26 minutes. His powerful serves and skillful shots managed to keep Fonseca on the defensive. But the 18-year-old Brazilian ranked No. 57 in the PIF ATP Rankings, didn’t give up, and fought back.
Fonseca bounces back
The second set was much closer, going to a tiebreak. At 5-5, Fritz was just two points from winning the match, but Joao Fonseca made an impressive volley near the ground to claim a set point. He won the tiebreak 7-6(5), leading to a tie in the match with one set each.
Taylor Fritz vs Joao Fonseca states after two sets
Aces: Fritz – 14, Fonseca – 7
Double faults: Fritz – 2, Fonseca – 1
First serve %: Fritz – 72%, Fonseca – 68%
Break Points: Fritz – 1/3, Fonseca – 0/1
Tiebreaks won: Fritz – 0, Fonseca – 1
Points won: Fritz – 67, Fonseca – 67
Games won: Fritz – 12, Fonseca – 10
Darkness suspends the game
As the second set ended, the light on the court was fading fast. Fritz said, “It’s already getting pretty hard, what’s the point of playing two games? There’s no chance, it’s going to be dark…” Fonseca agreed to his suggestion, and the umpire decided to stop the match before the third set could start. Both players will now have to wait for the game to be resumed. The clash will continue on Thursday, not before 12 PM local time.
What is next?
The winner of this match will play American Marcos Giron in the quarterfinals of the Lexus Eastbourne Open, later on Thursday. Fritz, who won the ATP 250 title in Stuttgart two weeks ago, has a 21-11 record this season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. Fonseca, on the other hand, is aiming for his first win against a Top 5 player in his first-ever match against Fritz.
