Top seed Taylor Fritz will continue his bid to win a third Delray Beach Open title when he takes on Tommy Paul in the quarterfinals. After narrowly missing out on the Dallas Open crown, the world No. 8Â will be eager to triumph in Florida. But he could be in for a tough test against his compatriot on Friday.
Taylor Fritz vs. Tommy Paul Match Details
Date: Feb. 20, 2026
Tournament: Delray Beach Open 2026
Round: Quarterfinals
Venue: Delray Beach Tennis Center, Florida, USA
Surface: Outdoor hard
Category: ATP 250
Live Telecast: Tennis Channel, Sky Sports, TSN, TVA
Fritz vs. Paul Head-to-Head
Fritz and Paul have met on five occasions in the past, with the former holding a 3-2 lead in their head-to-head. Their last meeting took place in the final of the 2024 Delray Beach Open, where Fritz won in straight sets to win his second title at the ATP 250 event.
Paul’s last 12 months have been full of ups and downs. He showcased his clay-court prowess with a run to the semifinals at the Italian Open and quarterfinals at the French Open. But things quickly started to unravel after that.
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Now ranked 24th on the ATP Rankings, Paul has enjoyed a decent start to the year. He made the semifinals in Brisbane before losing to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz in the fourth round of the Australian Open.
Paul then lost in three sets to Miomir Kecmanović in Dallas, but has started well in Florida with wins over Corentin Moutet and Adam Walton.
Fritz looked sluggish at the United Cup and was sent packing in the fourth round of the Australian Open. He then lost to Ben Shelton in a closely contested final in Dallas. He has started well at the Delray Beach Open, defeating Rafael Jodar in straight sets, 7-6(4), 6-4, in the last round.
Fritz vs. Paul Prediction
Injuries have certainly bothered Fritz a fair bit so far this year, with his win/loss record for 2026 currently standing at 9-5. While his serve has remained solid, as evidenced by his 200+ aces since the turn of the year, his return numbers appear to be well shy of his career average.
Paul likes to be active on the court and extend rallies, which could pose problems for Fritz, who has relied on quick points to get the job done. And if the former can get into his groove with his defensive game, he could come out on top.
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Tiredness could be another issue for Fritz, who was involved in a number of grueling matches last week in Dallas. Meanwhile, Paul will also have the hometown advantage, which could play into his hands as he looks to earn a big win and build momentum after a topsy-turvy few months.
While Fritz’s serve has been excellent this year, we are backing Paul to get the job done if this match goes down the stretch.
Pick – Paul to win in three sets
