Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz played the longest match in Abierto Mexicano Acapulco history, but divided fans with the level of the match.
25-year-old players are part of the new generation of American tennis. Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz have been great childhood friends and had even played each other in the 2015 French Open junior final (won by Paul) and the US Open junior final of the same year (won by Fritz).
With Taylor Fritz ranked in the top 5 in the world and Paul in the top 25, a high-intensity match was anticipated. The match lasted three hours and 25 minutes, making it the longest in the history of the tournament and surpassing last year's match between Dimitrov and Kozlov, which lasted three hours and 22 minutes. Fan reactions were divided due to the level of play demonstrated by the Americans.
“That match had it all. Plot twists. Match points saved. 3rd set comeback from a break down. Both players cramped. One threw up. Tommy Paul makes 2nd career final but both and Paul proved they were big time fighters," said one of the fans on Twitter.
That match had it all. Plot twists. Match points saved. 3rd set comeback from a break down. Both players cramped. One threw up. Tommy Paul makes 2nd career final but both and Paul proved they were big time fighters.
Record, SMASHED! 🙌 The moment @TommyPaul1 took out Taylor Fritz in the longest match in Acapulco history to reach his second ATP final. @AbiertoTelcel #AMT2023
"That was definitely one of the best matches of the year. No doubt about it. Just wow! Tommy Paul into the final - congratulations!!", said another fan.
That was definitely one of the best matches of the year. No doubt about it. Just wow! Tommy Paul into the final - congratulations!! #Acapulco @atptour @TommyPaul1
Tommy Paul survives a 3h25 battle match against his top 5 BFF Taylor Fritz, 6-3, 6-7(2), 7-6(2) to reach the biggest final of his career in Acapulco. He had MP in the 2nd set, was 1-3 down in the 3rd, finished 2h after 1st MP Fritz will leave the top 5 after 1 week.
But there were also those who criticized the tennis players:
"Disgusting match. They were tired at the end but prior to that it was straight rubbish. Fritz looked very average all week. Hard to believe this guy is top 5.”
Disgusting match. They were tired at the end but prior to that it was straight rubbish. Fritz looked very average all week. Hard to believe this guy is top 5
Here are some other fan comments:
This match was everything! Two absolute fighters, putting it all out there. What tennis should be like all the time, tbh.
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