For Taylor Fritz, 2022 has been one long waiting game.
It took the 25-year-old Californian 10 months to achieve his initial goal of breaking into the top 10 for the first time, after which he set his sights on securing a place at the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin. An early loss at the Paris Masters appeared to dash those hopes, consigning him to the role of first alternate, and so Fritz retreated to Switzerland with his girlfriend, Morgan Riddle, for a well-earned break.
Once again, though, there would be an 11th-hour breakthrough: Carlos Alcaraz, the world No 1, withdrew from the finals with an abdominal injury, opening the door for Fritz to make his debut at the elite eight-man event.
Among the many lessons the American will take away from a season that has brought a first Masters 1000 crown in Indian Wells as well as titles in Eastbourne and Tokyo, a recognition that good things come to those who wait will be among the more memorable.
It therefore came as no surprise that, with a place in the semi-finals at stake in a winner-takes-all showdown with fellow debutant Felix Auger-Aliassime, Fritz was content to bide his time.
For two and a half hours, the pair served each other to a standstill in the quick conditions at the Pala Alpitour. With neither man able to fashion a break point, Fritz capitalised on a spate of unforced errors from his opponent to secure the opener on a tiebreak, while Auger-Aliassime grasped the nettle in the second-set breaker, conjuring two heavy forehands from 5-5 to draw level.
But in the fifth game of the decider, the same wing betrayed the fifth-seeded Canadian, an unforced error handing Fritz his first opportunity to break. A timid return from the American saw the chance go begging but, as Auger-Aliassime continued to rack up forehand errors, some fine defending on the stretch finally got Fritz over the line at the fourth time of asking. Auger-Aliassime did not win another game, Fritz sealing a 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (5-7), 6-2 victory. Once again, his patience was rewarded.
“If you play a bad game, you get broken, you’re probably going to lose the set. That’s just how it is. You can’t afford to have throwaway games on the serve,” said Fritz, who will play Novak Djokovic in Saturday’s semi-finals.
“I think that was probably my biggest issue against Casper [Ruud, a three-set winner over Fritz on Tuesday] a couple of days ago: the first game I served. I kind of just gave it to him. You can’t do that. Holding serve by far is the most important thing on this court, holding serve and returning.”
Fritz, the world No 9, did that to perfection against Auger-Aliassime, winning 88% of his first serve points and fending off the only three break points he faced, all of which came in the second set. Those missed opportunities were a body blow to the ambitions of the sixth-ranked Canadian, who leaves Turin with only a first win over Rafael Nadal to show for his efforts, having lost his opener against Casper Ruud in straight sets.
“I had chances in the second set,” mused Auger-Aliassime, whose outstanding form over the indoor season has brought titles in Florence, Antwerp and Basel as well as a place in the top 10.
“I had a clear chance on a return. Probably would have helped to win that set not in the tiebreak the way I did.
“After the third set, bad choices, bad execution in some parts. Maybe I lost the focus a little bit.”
That is not a luxury Fritz will be able to afford against Djokovic, certainly not if he is to prolong his record of going on to claim the title on the three occasions he has reached a semi-final this year. The Serb, who has been in magisterial form so far this week, has won all five of their previous meetings.
Earlier in the day, Rafael Nadal ended his season on a positive note, defeating Casper Ruud 7-5, 7-5 to earn his first victory at the finals and break a run of four consecutive defeats.
“It’s about finishing the season with a victory,” said Nadal, who will play a series of exhibition matches against Ruud in South America and Mexico before his thoughts turn to the defence of his Australian Open title.
“It’s about seeing myself competitive against a great player with chances of victory.
“It’s about having the personal satisfaction that, after a couple of very tough days, I went yesterday on the practice courts and made a very good practice with the right attitude.
“Today was a good level of tennis for me, serving well, playing with more determination at the right moments. Now is the moment to back home couple of days, then a tour in Latina America.”