Taylor Fritz has progressed to the quarter-finals of Wimbledon for the third time after Jordan Thompson was forced to retire due to injury. The fifth-seeded American was leading 6-1, 3-0 when Thompson, who was struggling with back pain, could no longer continue during their match on No. 1 Court.
Fritz, who recently claimed his fourth title at Eastbourne, faced a challenging path to this stage of the tournament, spending nearly ten hours on court in his initial matches. His journey included a dramatic five-set win over Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round and a hard-fought four-set victory against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round.
During the post-match interview, Fritz expressed his disappointment at Thompson’s retirement, acknowledging the effort Thompson put in to reach the fourth round, especially after competing in multiple five-set matches. “It is not the way I want to go through,” Fritz commented, conveying his respect for Thompson’s perseverance despite his physical struggles.
Looking ahead, Fritz is set to face Karen Khachanov in the quarter-finals. Khachanov reached this stage by defeating Kamil Majchrzak 6-4, 6-2, 6-3, demonstrating strong form with 44 winners compared to 21 unforced errors. Khachanov’s performance on grass has been impressive this year, with an 8-2 record, including a semi-finals appearance in Halle.
With his current ranking at 12th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, Fritz has the opportunity to break into the Top 10 with a strong showing at Wimbledon as he aims to return to the year-end event in Italy, where he was a finalist last season.
This match and Fritz’s continued progress highlight the resilience and determination of players, especially in high-stakes tournaments like Wimbledon. Fans can look forward to an exciting showdown in the quarter-finals as Fritz looks to continue his push for the title.