“Today was the bot-off”: Taylor Fritz jokes after beating Reilly Opelka at Miami Open

Taylor Fritz moved into the fourth round of the Miami Open with a controlled 6-3, 6-3 win over Reilly Opelka, continuing his consistent run at the tournament where he has now reached this stage for the fifth time in his career.

The top-ranked American has been among the most reliable performers on hard courts in recent seasons, and his latest victory highlighted the efficiency of his game against one of the biggest servers on tour. Fritz limited Opelka’s opportunities by keeping returns low and maintaining a steady balance between aggression and control throughout the match.

Speaking to Tennis Channel after the match, Fritz described the performance as “really solid,” pointing in particular to his ability to neutralise Opelka’s serve while avoiding unnecessary risks. The result also comes amid a strong start to the 2026 season, where Fritz has remained firmly inside the ATP’s top tier.

With his physical condition improving following earlier concerns, Fritz noted that he is close to full fitness heading into the latter stages of the tournament. His progression in Miami continues a pattern of consistent results at Masters 1000 level, where he has regularly advanced into the second week.

Fritz identified his return game as a decisive factor against Opelka, whose serve often dictates the rhythm of matches. Rather than attempting to overpower his opponent, he focused on consistency and shot selection, ensuring rallies were played on his terms whenever possible. “I did a good job just putting a lot of returns in play. There was a good balance of defense and offense," the world No. 7 said. "I felt like I didn’t leave the ball up for him—I kept it low, I was aggressive, but didn’t give a lot of points for free. So it was just really solid.”

While his serve numbers were strong—winning nearly all points behind his first delivery—Fritz downplayed the idea that he produced an exceptional serving performance, instead pointing to Opelka’s returning level as a contributing factor.

“I’ve been serving well and I feel good about it. To be honest, I don’t think I served any better than normal today. I think he didn’t return as well as I’ve maybe seen him return when I’ve played him in the past, so I think that helped me. But it was a good percentage, and I wasn’t trying to go for extremely risky serves either. I just wanted to make a lot of first serves.”

The American also addressed the ongoing “serve bot” debate in lighter terms, acknowledging his position among the leaders in aces this season while framing it within a broader context of match volume and playing style. “When it comes to aces, a lot of it is just matches played. I’ve played a good amount of matches, and I’ve also gone three sets quite a bit.

"It’s kind of a joke I make—whenever I drop a set, I tell people I’m padding my stats on aces. I think what it really comes down to is serve rating—who’s the biggest ‘bot.’ I saw the other day that Reilly is number one in serve rating this year and I’m number two, so today was kind of a ‘bot-off.’”

Beyond the immediate result, Fritz pointed to the unique playing conditions in Miami, noting that differences between courts can have a tangible impact on match dynamics. His ability to adjust quickly has been a key factor in navigating the early rounds.

“I think a lot of the courts play differently. I felt like center court today played a bit slower than Grandstand. I think Grandstand is probably the fastest court here. Both of those courts bounce lower than the practice courts… it’s just not realistic that it’s going to be the same, so that’s something about this tournament you always have to stay on top of.”

Physically, Fritz indicated that his condition is improving, with additional recovery time expected to help him reach full readiness for the next round. “I feel pretty good. I think it’s been getting better slowly and I’m excited. I get another day off tomorrow, so I think I’ll be feeling 100% ready to go for the next round.”

He will next face Jiri Lehecka, a matchup that has historically produced tight contests. Fritz expects a similar pattern, with both players relying on aggressive baseline play and strong serving to control points.

“It’s a tough match. He’s playing well, and I think these conditions are good for him. It’s going to be similar to a lot of the matches we’ve had in the past—close, could go either way. It comes down to a couple of points here and there. We both serve well, want to hit the ball flat and big, and yeah, we’ll see.”