By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, June 12, 2026
Picture credit score: Boss Open Fb
Taylor Fritz continues to indicate urge for food for the gras-court struggle.
Reigning Stuttgart champion Fritz fended off Mattia Bellucci 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 to battle into his second semifinal of the season on the Boss Open.
The second-seeded Fritz fired 11 aces towards one double fault and saved two of three break factors in a two hour, 26-minute victory.
“I used to be glad to get via one other one like that,” Fritz mentioned after posting his second straight three-set win a day after outlasting Spain’s Martin Landaluce 6-7(4), 7-5, 7-6(3). “It was a fairly powerful match and I’m actually being examined within the first two matches right here.
“I’m tremendous glad to get via. One of the vital necessary elements of enjoying on grass is profitable these massive factors and getting via these shut matches as there shall be a number of them on grass.”
It’s Fritz’s sixth straight Stuttgart victory as he continues searching his sixth profession grass-court championship. The victory sends Fritz into tomorrow’s semifinals vs. Alexander Bublik in a battle of massive servers.
Earlier, Bublik withstood 19 aces from 6’8″ Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in a 7-6(5), 7-6(3) victory in a match devoid of a single break level.
High-seeded Ben Shelton saved a match level serving at 4-5 within the decider out-dueling compatriot Marcos Giron 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(5) of their second straight conflict determined by a third-set tiebreaker.
Giron opened a 3-0 lead within the last set earlier than Shelton broke again at love for 2-3. Shelton surged via eight of 9 factors to degree the decider at 3-all.
Serving down match level at 4-5, Shelton smacked a diagonal forehand winner to avoid wasting match level, finally holding for 5-all.
Within the tiebreaker, Giron whipped a large ace go to up 5-3. Giron was in prime place on high of the online for a forehand volley, which might have given him extra match factors.
In a second Giron will rue, he netted a routine forehand volley earlier than Shelton swing a lefty forehand winner for 5-all. On match level, Shelton drew the error to shut and advance to the quarterfinals.
