Fritz Faces Wimbledon Upset Alert! Can He Conquer Perricard?
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American tennis star Taylor Fritz is set to begin his Wimbledon campaign with a potentially tricky first-round match against Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Despite arriving at SW19 with two grass-court titles already under his belt this season – his first Stuttgart title and a record-extending fourth Eastbourne title – the No.1 US seed is acutely aware of the potential for an early upset.
Fritz, currently ranked No. 5 in the world, faces No. 36 Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. While Fritz boasts a solid 21-10 record for the year with two tournament wins, Perricard's 5-12 record doesn't tell the whole story. The 6’8″ Frenchman, who reached the fourth round of Wimbledon last year as a lucky loser, possesses a monster serve and an unconventional attacking style that can disrupt even the most seasoned players.
"It’s a scary match, because some things are more out of your control than in other matches," Fritz admitted at the pre-Wimbledon press conference. "It’s not easy when you play someone like him. It could potentially come down to a couple of points, a couple of shots. But historically, I have done well against big servers. I’m going to go out there and do my job, which is to take care of my own service games."
The match is scheduled for Court No. 2, with a start time not before 3pm. If Fritz navigates this potentially hazardous first hurdle, he will undoubtedly fancy his chances of at least matching last year’s quarter-final appearance. A potential fourth-round blockbuster against Daniil Medvedev, a semi-finalist in each of the past two years, looms large as a significant obstacle.
Beyond Medvedev, Fritz will be aiming for a deep run, and with a perfect 5-0 record in grass court finals, he would certainly back himself to lift the coveted Gentlemen’s Singles Trophy should he reach the championship match.
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