Simon Dalton shares his prediction for the ATP Washington match.
The quarter-final of the ATP tournament in Washington represents a significant milestone for Taylor Fritz, who is living up to his status as the top seed. His opponent, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, is also showing decent form but continues to struggle to break into the top 20 and rarely defeats elite-level opponents on hard courts.
Taylor Fritz
Taylor Fritz has firmly established himself among the top four players in the world. For two consecutive seasons, the American has shown consistent performances, regularly reaching the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals of Grand Slam tournaments. In Washington, he convincingly defeated Aleksandar Vukic and Matteo Arnaldi, without losing a single service game. Taylor has won five of his last seven quarter-finals on hard courts and has beaten Alejandro Davidovich Fokina three times in their four head-to-head meetings. Even in his only defeat on hard courts, Fritz won 12 games (6:7, 6:7).
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina faces serious difficulties in matches against top-level players. He has lost 17 out of 21 encounters against top 10 players on hard courts. In Washington, his first serve has been lacking – in matches against Jaume Munar and Ethan Quinn, Alejandro landed only 59% of his first serves on average and won 69% of points on them. His progress to the quarter-finals was largely due to a favourable draw and opponents outside the top 50.
Taylor Fritz vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Prediction
The form and playing style of Taylor Fritz give him a clear advantage in this matchup. His serve, powerful forehand, and confident baseline shots should put significant pressure on Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The American is expected to win in straight sets.
