Taylor Fritz was not able to capitalise on Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal from the Canadian Open, as he fell out at the first round stage.
The American was beaten by Thiago Augustin Tirante in straight sets to end his Masters campaign early, but he will have another opportunity in Cincinnati.
Fritz will be the sixth see at the Cincinnati Open, in part due to the withdrawals of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who are both missing the event with injury.
It will provide the American with the perfect opportunity to prepare for the US Open, which begins at the end of August.
Fritz has already arrived in Cincinnati ahead of the tournament kicking off on the 15th August and he was asked about Alcaraz and Sinner’s withdrawals in his pre-tournament press conference.
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Asked if it makes a difference to the way he prepares for the tournament, Fritz said: “Maybe once you get to like the later stages of the tournament, but that’s again that’s not something I’m going to think about until it’s like you’re in like the quarterfinals.
“Because like that’s where you’re going to actually see, as a higher seed, you’re not gonna see the difference of them not being there until you’re in like the quarterfinals or the semi-finals. So, up until then, it’s just it’s just another tournament.
“So, obviously, there’s opportunity, but it’s opportunity at the end of the tournament. I think probably the the other top ranked players, like the next guys, probably feel a bit more pressure to like take a title more opportunity.
“But like I said, for me I don’t notice any kind of a difference until you know I would only notice a difference like once I’m in like the quarters or the semis and it would come time to like play one of those guys and I’d have someone that’s not out not to play.”
Fritz should be delighted not to see Alcaraz and Sinner on the entry list for the Cincinnati Open, as he does not have the best record against the best ranked players in tennis.
Fritz has only won one of his six matches against Alcaraz, and that came at the 2025 Laver Cup, which is techinically an exhibition tournament.
Against Sinner, meanwhile, Fritz has won just one of his five matches against the Italian. That came at Indian Wells in 2021, so Fritz has lost his last four matches against the world No 1.
