Taylor Fritz edged past Roberto Carballes Baena 7-5 7-6 (7-1) to reach the third round at the National Bank Open Represented by Rogers.
Fritz broke in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead.
Carballes Baena broke back in the ninth game when Fritz was serving for the first set at 5-3. Fritz closed out the first set 7-5 with a second break in the 12th game.
Carballes Baena started the second set with a break in the first game.
The Spaniard double faulted on break point to drop serve while he was serving at 5-4. Fritz earned three minini-breaks to win the tie-break
Fritz won two titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne on grass this year.
“Being down that break, getting it back at 5-4 — 30/0 for him too — I played a really good point to get back in that and then I just grinded it out in the breaker. Tough conditions all week here. I feel like even in practice, I’ve had such a hard time just literally putting the ball in the court. Happy to get through that”, said Fritz.
Fritz will face Gabriel Diallo, the last Canadian player who is the last player left in the Toronto main draw. Fritz beat Diallo in a five-set clash at Wimbledon.
Diallo beat Italy’s Matteo Gigante 6-3 7-6 (7-5) in 1 hour and 46 minutes. Diallo saved two set points at 2-5 before breaking back to force a tie-break in the second set. Gigante opened up a 5-3 lead in the tie-break, but Diallo won the last four points and double faulted on match point.
“Tennis is sometimes pretty crazy with the momentum switches that you throughout a match”, said Diallo.
Frances Tiafoe came back from one set down to beat Yosuke Watanuki 1-6 7-5 7-6 (7-5). Watanuki won nine more points than Tiafoe, who managed just 19 winners to Watanuki’s 45 but he converted on two of his nine break points.
Tiafoe leads Watanuki 2-1 in their head-to-head matches.
