In a surprising turn of events at the Japan Open, US Open finalist Taylor Fritz was eliminated in the first round on Thursday, joining fellow Americans Frances Tiafoe and Stefanos Tsitsipas in an upset-filled day in Tokyo. Top seed Fritz, who made history as the first American man to reach a Grand Slam final since 2009, lost to France's Arthur Fils with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. The 20-year-old Fils showcased impressive energy throughout the match, ultimately defeating Fritz in just over two hours.
Just hours before Fritz’s defeat, No. 7 seed Frances Tiafoe, who faced Fritz in the US Open semifinals, also suffered a first-round exit. Tiafoe lost to Brandon Nakashima, another American, with a scoreline of 7-5, 6-3. Meanwhile, No. 4 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was eliminated in a match against Alex Michelsen, a qualifier from the U.S., with the final score of 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. Tsitsipas had taken the first set but faltered in the subsequent two, leading to his exit from the tournament.
Fritz, ranked world No. 7, was the defending champion of the Japan Open and had previously faced challenges earlier in the match, requiring a medical time-out for a back issue during the second set. Despite the setback, he expressed a positive outlook, stating he felt he played well overall, acknowledging Fils' superior performance. Fritz remarked, “Some things I wish I could have done better but, all in all, I don’t think I played bad by any means.”
Amid the turmoil for top-seeded players, defending champion Ben Shelton advanced to the second round after defeating Reilly Opelka with a score of 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. Shelton, ranked No. 17 in the world, felt confident returning as the titleholder, mentioning that he does not feel pressure in his defending role. Other players like Jack Draper and Tommy Paul also secured wins, furthering the competition as they look to capitalize on the unexpected early exits of several high-profile athletes.
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