Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev are ready for Wimbledon. Neither has been overly successful on grass before, but that changed at the BOSS Open in Stuttgart. Each played tight matches to reach the final, but neither dropped a set to get to the end.
Fritz ended Zverev's run of consecutive sets won in the first set of the final, though. His serve was robotic and sure (midway through the second set, he had won over 90 percent of his first serves), and his forehand was as good as it has been in months. After a rough run through the clay-court season, the American might be a dark horse to win the upcoming grass-court major.
Part of the issue for Zverev in the first set was that he was missing more of his first serves than normal. Fritz was either able to make good returns as the German was missing his spots or take advantage of weaker second serves.
Taylor Fritz nearly perfect to beat Alexander Zverev in BOSS Open final
The second set, Zverev got back into the form that has him ranked third on the ATP tour in first serves made. This forced Fritz into a more defensive position, and the German was able to hold fairly easily.
The same was true of the American, however. Zverev was, at times, lucky to get any points during a Fritz service game. The second set appeared to be settled by a tie-break, likely, and if Fritz won that, he would win the tournament.
In the tie-break, Fritz was absolutely perfect, and Zverev did not win a point. Fritz took the match and the title 6-3 7-6(0). The win was the American's fifth straight over the German. If Fritz plays as he did in Stuttgart at Wimbledon, he is a dangerous player and a tough out for anyone he faces.
Fritz did not face a break point in either his semifinal match or the final against Zverev.
Fritz was a winner at the BOSS Open, no matter what happened in the final. He jumped from No. 7 to No. 4, matching his previous career high. When the new rankings come out on Monday, there will be three Americans (Fritz, Tommy Paul at No. 8, and Ben Shelton at No. 10) for the first time since April 17, 2006.