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Taylor Fritz overcomes jet lag to beat Diallo in Japan Open three-set battle

Originally posted on HITC | By Callum Davies | Last updated Sep 25, 2025 10:44 AM ET

Taylor Fritz faced a tough challenge from Gabriel Diallo in his first match at the Japan Open, but managed to come through it.

The World No. 5 entered the tournament as the second seed, behind Carlos Alcaraz, and there was plenty of expectation around his performance.

He had just come off a memorable Laver Cup, where he notched up wins over both Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev.

Fritz advanced to the second round in Tokyo after beating Diallo, but it took him three sets and a tie-break to get over the line.

Fritz admits to feeling effects of short turnaround at Japan Open

The quick switch from the Laver Cup to the Japan Open didn’t do Fritz any favours, with the American admitting he found it tough to get up to speed in Tokyo.

“It’s definitely a tough turnaround,” Fritz said after setting up a second-round tie against Nuno Borges.

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“I think the biggest thing for me today was the energy. It’s really tough to match the energy that you have last week, with Andre [Agassi] on the bench, the team on the bench, everyone going crazy.”

He pointed to his travel schedule as another factor behind his slow start. “I’m obviously a little jet lagged as well, so that comes into it.”

Fritz’s chances may have received an early boost too, with both Tomas Machac and Ugo Humbert already out of his half of the draw.

Taylor Fritz hits a hard-court milestone at the Japan Open

Fritz didn’t manage to win any titles during the US hard court swing, but his steady form has helped him hit a notable milestone in Tokyo.

His opening-round win over Diallo marked his 30th hard court victory of 2025, adding to a season that’s already included a quarter-final run at the US Open and a third-round appearance at the Australian Open.

While he hasn’t claimed a title on hard courts this year, Fritz has picked up two trophies on grass, winning in Stuttgart and Eastbourne.

His most recent hard court title came in Atlanta back in 2023 when he defeated Aleksandar Vukic in three sets.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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