Match report
Exit of Americans in Miami: Fritz, Paul, Tiafoe are out!
Seyboth Wild, Damm, O’Connell advance at their expense
March 23, 2024
Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Tommy Paul in action on Saturday in Miami, where he was later forced to retire.
By ATP staff
Thiago Seiboth Wild had a tough afternoon for the home favorites on Saturday at the Miami Open presented by Itau, downing American No. 1 Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4 at the ATP Masters 1000 event.
No. 76 in the PIF ATP rankings, Seyboth Wild produced a stunning serving performance to upset the 12th seed Fridge inside the Hard Rock Stadium. The 24-year-old qualifier dropped just nine points on serve in the match as he completed a 71-minute triumph to reach the third round in Miami for the first time.
“I played a very good match today, I hardly lost,” said Seyboth Wild after his win. “It was exactly the plan with my coach before the match. I held my backhand very well and used my forehand to win the match.”
The way Seyboth Wild kept his composure to close out the match after the break in the opening game of the second set was particularly impressive and he ended the match having won 96 per cent (23/24) of the points behind the first of delivery, according to Infosys ATP Statistics. With his fourth Top 20 win, the Brazilian snapped Fritz’s 10-game winning streak in home first-round matches, a record dating back to early 2023.
Seyboth Wild, who previously upset Daniil Medvedev at Roland Garros in 2023, is now 7-9 in 2024, a tally that includes a home quarterfinal run in Rio de Janeiro. He will next play Chilean 22nd seed Nicolas Jarry, who saved two match points before claiming an epic 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(2) win against Jack Draper in three hours and 35 minutes .
Fritz’s loss came shortly after 13th seed Tommy Paul was forced to withdraw from his second-round clash with another American, wildcard Martin Damm.
Paul was leading wild card Damm 6-4, 1-2 on Court 7 when he suddenly pulled while approaching the net. The 13th seed crouched on the ground clutching his left leg for a minute, appearing to be in quite a bit of pain, before slouching in his chair and finally retiring. The timing of his injury was a harsh blow for Paul, who had made a bright start to his campaign in Miami as he looked to back up his semi-final run at Indian Wells.
The 20-year-old Damm, who defeated Zhang Zhizhen on his tour-level debut on Wednesday, has climbed 30 places to No. 174 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings as a result of his run so far in Miami. His next opponent at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Florida will be Christopher O’Connell. The Australian also advanced at the expense of an American seed, beating Francis Tiafoe 7-5, 7-6(5).
O’Connell hit 28 winners in his victory and has now reached the second round or better in six consecutive tour-level events. The loss leaves Tiafoe with a 7-7 record on the year, having managed just one win in the ‘Sunshine Double’ events of Indian Wells and Miami.