American tennis star Taylor Fritz said there’s definitely something special about Eastbourne after lifting his second title at the tournament. On Saturday, third-seeded Fritz beat fellow compatriot Maxime Cressy 6-2 6-7 (4) 7-6 (4) in the Eastbourne final.
Fritz lifted his first Eastbourne title in 2019 but didn’t get a chance to defend his title in 2020 since the tournament was cancelled due to the pandemic. Last year, Fritz only played Wimbledon during the grass season.
Fritz returned to Eastbourne this year and it was quite a return. “There is something about this place. It is where I won my first title and when I got here on the first day this week, I felt that I was playing so much better than before.
This place has a special spot in my heart,” Fritz said after lifting the title, per the ATP website.
Fritz finds his game just before Wimbledon
Fritz kicked off his grass season in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, where he was beaten by Tim van Rijthoven in his opener at the tournament.
Last week, Fritz suffered a surprise first round defeat to Jack Draper at the Queen’s Club. Fritz arrived to Eastbourne with a 0-2 record on grass but now heads to Wimbledon with a 4-2 record on the surface. “My grass season wasn’t going great before I arrived here.
But it is great to beat these players and it gives me confidence,” Fritz added. “I played really well all week and going into Wimbledon, I feel good”. In the Wimbledon first round, Fritz faces Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti.
Fritz, who lifted his maiden Masters title this past March in Indian Wells, would certainly like to make his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at Wimbledon. At Wimbledon, Fritz has only once reached the third round. It remains to be seen how far can Fritz go at The All England Club this year.
