Wimbledon 2022: American Taylor Fritz to face Nadal in quarterfinals
Number 11 seed Taylor Fritz of the U.S. will face Rafael Nadal in the Wimbledon quarterfinals, and he is the only American male left in the competition.
It had been a good run for American men in Wimbledon 2022, with four of them reaching the fourth round of the tournament. This is the largest number at this particular Grand Slam event since 1999, but now only number 11 seed Taylor Fritz is left in the running.
The 24-year-old defeated No. 99 Jason Kubler of Australia 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 in round four to reach his first major quarterfinal. It’s also the first time a player from the U.S. reached a major quarterfinal in the men’s division since the 2020 Australian Open.
He will face Rafael Nadal, who beat 21st-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp to come closer to winning his third consecutive Grand Slam event of the year.
Fritz defeated an injured Nadal
Fritz was able to triumph over Nadal and end the Spaniard’s 20-match winning streak at the Indian Wells final earlier this year. Nadal was dealing with issues with his chest during the match, while the American came into the game after hurting his ankle in the semifinal match.
Shortly before Fritz moved on to the quarterfinals, fellow American Brandon Nakashima, who is ranked No.56, fell to Australian Nick Kyrgios in five sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-7 (2) 6-3, 2-6.
On the women’s side, No. 20 seed Amanda Anisimova is the last woman left from the U.S., clinching the quarterfinals slot after overpowering France’s Harmony Tan 6-2, 6-3. Tan thwarted the return of Serena Williams to the majors in the first round of the Championships.