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Taylor Fritz Has Beaten Steve Johnson Three Times In A Month
· Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios
Steve Johnson may start having nightmares about Taylor Fritz. The two Californians have played three times in the last month, with the 23 year old besting the veteran 31 year old on each occasion.
They first played in Memphis in 2016, with Fritz winning 76 76. Then in Houston 2018 Johnson on a three setter and in 2019 Johnson topped Taylor 63 63 in Indian Wells.
The pair’s fourth meeting came in the second round at Wimbledon and Fritz prevailed after blowing a two set lead 64 76 46 67 64.
Two weeks later in Los Cabos Mexico QF they would clash again and Fritz came out on top again 64 64.
This week in Atlanta, it just so happened again Johnson and Fritz were fated to play the round of 16 earlier today. And once again the younger and higher ranked Fritz (ATP 42) executed his superior arsenal to frustrate poor Stevie J (ATP 80), this time 67 64 61.
I can’t recall ever seeing two players pitted against each other three times in the span of a month in ATP tournaments but surely it has happened before in the history of the ATP.
For Johnson, once ranked 21 in the world, the cruel twist of fate of bad luck to keep drawing his kryptonite has bogged down his mediocre 2021 that sports a record of 5-13. Johnson career ATP mark has also dipped below .500 at 174-176 because of Taylor Fritz.
Fritz advances to play the winner of Opelka vs Fratangelo at the Atlanta Truist Open 250 tournament.
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