Taylor Fritz hit 22 aces to advance to the ATP Dallas Open final on Saturday by beating Croatian Marin Cilic 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/3).
Fritz, the seventh seed in the world, reached his 20th career ATP final and his first since the Japan Open last September.
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“I did a really good job holding serve, getting through a lot of those games,” said Fritz, who never faced a break point.
“I think I generated some good chances to take a break on him, but he played very well, served very well on all the break points.”
Fritz will play for the crown on Sunday in an all-American final against ninth-seeded Ben Shelton, who ousted defending champion Denis Shapovalov of Canada 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) to reach his sixth career ATP final.
“He’s one of the most competitive guys I’ve ever met in my life,” Shelton said. “When we go into the field tomorrow, it will be all-out war and then we will meet our friends.”
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Fritz is aiming for an 11th career title and first since winning his fourth crown at Eastbourne last June.
Shelton, a 23-year-old left-hander, is seeking his fourth ATP title after winning the 2023 Japan Open, the 2024 U.S. Clay Court Championships and last year’s Canadian Open.
Cilic, the 37-year-old Croatian who won the 2014 US Open, had 16 aces but also committed eight double faults.
Fritz, a 2024 US Open finalist, took a 3-0 lead in the first tiebreaker, served back-to-back aces for a 6-3 advantage and closed the first set with a blast down the middle for his 14th ace.
In the second tiebreaker, Fritz won the match on his first opportunity when Cilic hit a long forehand in return of serve.
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“I had to do it in the tiebreakers,” Fritz said. “I did a good job of playing solid points, hitting a ton of first serves and making it work.”
– ‘Like a freight train’ –
In the other semifinal, Shelton saved a break point in the 11th game when Shapovalov missed a forehand as they fought for a deciding tiebreaker.
Shelton smashed a forehand winner to take a 4-3 lead over Shapovalov, then took two points on his serve and won two points later with another scorching forehand, improving to 4-0 in ATP play against the Canadian.
“There wasn’t a big difference,” Shelton said. “I played a decisive role in the big points. He had a lot of opportunities to break serve and I found the goods.
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“He served extremely well, he played hard from the baseline. It was like a freight train coming towards you.
“Glad to get out of it. I’m not sure how I did it.”
Fritz and Shelton are 1-1 in their ATP rivalry, with Fritz winning at Indian Wells in 2023 but losing in the Canadian semifinals last year.
“It’s going to be about serving,” Fritz said.
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