Taylor Fritz took advantage of the Russian’s error-prone start, including seven double faults in the first set, to gain the upper hand.

The American held his ground as Medvedev pushed back early in the second set, confidently saving all three break points he faced.

Upon the glimpse of an opening in the sixth game, Fritz took the initiative breaking Medvedev to secure a lead that couldn’t be clawed back.

This win marks an ideal start for Fritz, who reached the semi-finals in the 2022 edition of the event.

Brad Gilbert pinpoints big Taylor Fritz improvement

In the face of what was a Medvedev display of heightened chaos, with two of the Russian’s racquets going flying, Fritz remained calm and composed.

The American was forced to focus even more intensely on his side of the court, rather than respond in any way to Medvedev’s antics down at the other end.

Striking nine aces and 21 winners helped Fritz along his way as he levelled his head-to-head series rivalry with the Russian.

Coco Gauff’s former coach Brad Gilbert noted that Fritz has visibly worked on part of his game that statistics struggle to explain.

First commenting on the court, he said on X: “Watching ATP Tour finals in Turin, court looks a bit slower,” before he added, “Fritz has improved his defense a lot.”

The American next faces top seed Jannik Sinner, who defeated him at the US Open Final this year.

Taylor Fritz will have a hard time qualifying for the semi-finals

Fritz faces a challenging path to qualify for the ATP Finals semi-finals.

Next up is home favorite Sinner, who started his campaign with a confident win over Alex de Minaur.

To have a shot, Fritz will need to produce some of his best tennis to stay competitive against the in-form Italian.

However, the real hurdle may come against the Australian, who holds a 5-3 head-to-head advantage over Fritz.

With both matches crucial, Fritz’s journey to the semi’s will demand grit, resilience, and in truth, a little bit of luck!

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