Taylor Fritz booked his place in the semifinals of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open, though he had to overcome a tough test along the way. Compatriot Alex Michelsen gave the American a serious challenge in a tightly contested quarterfinal on July 31.
The dramatic contest saw Fritz call for a medical timeout and save a match point before clinching victory in the deciding tiebreak.
Taylor Fritz Shares Details of His Medical Timeout After DC Open Scare
Fritz is in search of his first title of the season in Washington, D.C., after three failed final attempts against compatriots Ben Shelton (Dallas and Stuttgart) and Frances Tiafoe (Halle). Seeded third, he started his campaign with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Zizou Bergs before closing out his match against Kamil Majchrzak with an identical score.
Fritz’s contest against Michelsen on Friday began in dominant fashion, with the American claiming the opening set 6-1. His 21-year-old opponent, however, responded strongly to level the match by taking the second set 6-3.
At 2-2 in the third set, Taylor Fritz appeared to injure his left knee after letting out an audible cry of pain. He immediately called for a trainer without waiting for the changeover after his service game. The incident was especially concerning given the 28-year-old’s struggle with a lingering knee injury that derailed his 2026 season.
He, however, shared a reassuring update during his on-court interview, while noting that he experienced a “sharp pain” after tweaking the knee.
“It’s good. I tweaked it. It was my left knee. I did exactly the same thing I did today to my right knee in Dallas. It’s just kind of like a… jam it, ball goes behind me, I slide into a corner, and it’s a really sharp pain,” he said.
“But the thing is, it can go away pretty quickly. But if I didn’t call the trainer right at that moment, I would, for sure, get broken in that game,” Fritz continued.
Taylor Fritz being seen by the physio in his match against Michelson in Washington.
He couldn’t wait for the changeover and said ‘ow’ right after finishing a point.
His left knee is being worked on.
Concerning signs. pic.twitter.com/iX3ZX3PCxi
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 31, 2026
He battled neck and neck with his younger opponent, with the contest eventually heading to a deciding tiebreak. Here, Fritz saved a match point to secure a 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(6) victory. With the win, he leapfrogged Shelton to reclaim the American No. 1 position. When asked about the achievement, he said, “That’s pretty cool; I’ve got points to defend.”
Fritz also emphasized that his attention was more on the ATP Race, where he has dropped to 13th position. “What I’m looking at is really the Race. I don’t believe I’m there in the Race. I just need to keep having a good rest of the year and keep playing well. At the end, I’m not really focused on being the No. 1 American.”
“I’d rather be (ranked) 5 and the No. 3 American than 10 and the No. 1,” he said, before adding, “It’s good for the progress after a tough first half of the year.”
Fritz’s 2026 season was disrupted by a lengthy injury layoff as he dealt with chronic right-knee tendinitis and an oblique strain. He missed much of the clay-court swing, and his Wimbledon campaign ended in the quarterfinals after the knee injury resurfaced.
The 2024 US Open finalist would hope for a successful North American campaign as he looks to rebuild his form and climb back up the rankings. He faces another American in Brandon Nakashima for a spot in the Mubadala DC Open final.
