Noting the extra importance of taking this week one match at a time, Fritz swept past Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, 7-5, 6-2, after 90 minutes. If he and Auger-Aliassime each win their second-round encounters, it will confirm a mouthwatering clash between the pair of Turin hopefuls.
“When we kind of look back at this whole year, any time I’ve been able to just win a couple matches in a tournament, I’ve started playing really well,” said Fritz. “I just need to get past those first couple matches.”
The Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. native, who turned 25 last Friday, improved to 43-18 on the year. He knows what it takes to win at this level, having celebrated his first Masters 1000 crown at Indian Wells in March.