Taylor Fritz downs Tommy Paul to retain ATP Delray Beach Open title

Taylor Fritz, the reigning champion and top seed, extended his impressive winning streak in ATP finals to six matches by triumphing over Tommy Paul (26) with a score of 6-2, 6-3 in the Delray Beach Open.

Fritz, the ninth-ranked player in the world, secured his seventh ATP title in the all-American final, which was delayed due to rain. This victory also made him the second player to win consecutive Delray Beach crowns, following in the footsteps of Australian Jason Stoltenberg, who achieved this feat in 1996 and 1997.

Reflecting on the match, Fritz described it as a challenging battle and expressed his desire to return next year and attempt to defend his title.

After claiming his first ATP title in Eastbourne in 2019, Fritz experienced a series of losses in his subsequent four finals. However, since his triumph in St. Petersburg in 2021, he has emerged victorious in championship matches at Indian Wells, Eastbourne, Tokyo in 2022, as well as Delray Beach and Atlanta last year.

In the opening set, Fritz broke Paul's serve to take a 3-1 lead. He then saved three break points in the seventh game, maintaining his advantage at 5-2. Fritz secured another break to win the set in 39 minutes, courtesy of an errant forehand from Paul.

The second set witnessed Fritz denying Paul on multiple break points, including a dramatic 15-minute seventh game. Eventually, Fritz broke Paul's serve with a forehand down-the-line winner in the eighth game, establishing a 5-3 lead. He then held his serve comfortably with new balls, sealing the victory when Paul netted a forehand after an hour and 40 minutes.

Paul, ranked 14th, saw his seven-match winning streak come to an end, which had equaled his career best. Just last week, Paul had clinched his second ATP title at Dallas.

With this win, Fritz now holds a 3-2 record in his head-to-head rivalry with his friend Paul. Their previous encounter resulted in Paul's favor in last year's Acapulco semi-finals.