Taylor Fritz battles past Diallo in thriller to reach Wimbledon third round

LONDON: Taylor Fritz on Wednesday clinched a hard-fought five-set victory over Canada’s Gabriel Diallo, winning 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(0), 4-6, 6-3 in the second round of Wimbledon 2025 to reach the third round for the fourth time in his career.

Fritz, who had also gone the distance in the opening round, was once again pushed to the limit. The match concluded under the closed roof of Court number one, after rain forced the suspension of play on other courts.

The encounter between Fritz and Diallo turned into a captivating display of traditional grass-court tennis, with frequent serve-and-volley play, rapid exchanges and tight games. Each set saw momentum swing back and forth, creating an edge-of-the-seat contest for spectators.

Both players matched each other for intensity, but it was Fritz who managed to maintain composure and raise his level in the deciding set. His experience in long matches and strong baseline play ultimately helped him prevail.

Speaking after the match, the 13th seed acknowledged the toll of recent matches.

“Tomorrow is going to be a very light hit. I think I’ve played a lot of tennis — four matches in a row in Eastbourne, one day off, then a match over two days here and now this. I’m definitely due a relaxing day,” Fritz said.

He added that the fourth set was almost perfect from his side.

“That was an incredibly tough match. In the fourth set, I don’t think there was much I did wrong. I felt like I had to play nearly perfect to get my chances. I’m really happy to get through,” Fritz concluded.