Tsitsipas Beats Fritz to Reach Shanghai Masters Fourth Round

Stefanos Tsitsipas advanced to the fourth round of the Shanghai Masters on October 12, 2026, after overcoming Taylor Fritz in Shanghai, China. The Greek tennis player recovered from losing the opening set to defeat the 11th-seeded American 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, crediting his serve and tactical variation for helping him secure the comeback victory.

The result continued Tsitsipas' recovery after his ranking fell to No. 88 earlier in the year. According to the source report, he had already eliminated another seeded player in Shanghai before facing Fritz, and he now sits at No. 38 in the rankings as he pursues his goal of returning to the top 30 before the end of the year.

Speaking on court after the match, Tsitsipas said he had mentally prepared himself for a demanding contest against an opponent he has faced in several significant matches.

"I was manifesting today's match and I was trying to put myself in a victorious situation, trying to prepare myself for a big fight against Taylor," Tsitsipas said.

He explained that the history between the players required him to raise his level, particularly when serving. Maintaining consistency helped him create opportunities to attack and put pressure on Fritz.

"You know, I have always had big fights against him, some of my biggest matches were played facing him on the other side of the court so I had to up my level I think," Tsitsipas said.

Tsitsipas identified his serve as a decisive element in the comeback and described how improved execution opened up his attacking options.

"My serve had to stay really consistent throughout this match in order to get those chances and really get behind him, and once I started doing that I felt like a lot of doors were opened and I was able to really unleash my biggest potential out there," Tsitsipas said.

The Greek player also praised his use of slice shots alongside his trademark one-handed backhand. He acknowledged that some slices landed unusually close to the net, while emphasizing the tactical value of varying his shots.

"Yeah, it was like this much off the net (smiles), I saw a few that stayed that low," Tsitsipas said.

He noted that the unusually low trajectory was not entirely intentional, even though keeping the ball close to the net can make a slice more difficult to handle.

"You never really aim that low, you obviously try to get the slice as low as possible as generic picture when you try and hit it, but you never try and get it as close to the net. So I got a little bit lucky there, I felt like it stayed lower than I initially expected it," Tsitsipas said.

Tsitsipas said combining slice with his one-handed backhand allowed him to vary the pace and shape of rallies. He believed that approach helped him impose his strategy during the match.

"It's really important mixing up the slice with the one-hander, I feel like it gives me a lot of leverage and allows me to mix up play and create a lot of variation on court. So I did that exceptionally well, I tried to impose on what I was trying to do with my tactics and strategy on court. I felt like this little moment became a big one towards the end," Tsitsipas said.

Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone, Tsitsipas characterized the victory as a significant achievement against an opponent with an established record on the ATP Tour.

"It is a statement," Tsitsipas said.

He pointed to Fritz's experience in major tournaments and his consistent performances at the highest level as reasons the result mattered to him.

"It's a great win, against a player who has earned his stripes on the highest level of the ATP Tour for many years now. He's been there consistently playing the finals, and playing the biggest, going deep in the Masters 1000s and Grand Slam tournaments," Tsitsipas said.

The match demanded concentration from both players because their service games left limited opportunities to break. Tsitsipas said he was pleased to capitalize when an opening appeared late in the contest.

"So, for me it is an important win that I was able to capture that today. I knew there was a lot of difficulties that were presented to me, especially given the serve. It's easy to lose your focus for a split second, and suddenly you are not in control of your serve, you are a break down," Tsitsipas said.

He described the importance of staying mentally engaged during the few points that could determine the outcome of a service game.

"That was the thing today with Taylor. Like, we both had to be careful with our serves. And, you know, there might be a window, one or two points, where you can might be able to do something, and it happened towards the very end. I'm extremely happy that I was able to really insert myself mentally into those few points and break the serve in that moment," Tsitsipas said.

Tsitsipas also said he was gaining confidence in his groundstrokes and continued to work on varying the pace and spin of his shots rather than relying only on power.

"It feels good, yes. I do feel confident hitting my backhands, hitting my forehands," Tsitsipas said.

He added that his approach involved opening up the court and adjusting his shot selection during rallies.

"I also like try and add variation to my game. It's not all about strength and how hard you hit," Tsitsipas said.

The player said he was working to improve different aspects of his game and make rallies more challenging for his opponents.

"I feel like it's important to mix up play and try to use a variation of play opening up the court, you know, using a little bit of top spin, a little bit of flat. So, I try and work on all of my curves inside the tennis court during rallies, and try and work around those to try and improve as much as I can. I just want to make it as annoying as possible," Tsitsipas said.

Tsitsipas will next face the winner of the match between Daniil Medvedev and qualifier Dalibor Svrcina. Discussing Medvedev, he highlighted the Russian player's defensive ability and his capacity to return difficult shots.

"Well, it's a big match. He's someone that I have played before," Tsitsipas said.

He added that Medvedev had previously countered his attacking shots effectively, making the potential matchup a demanding challenge.

"He's a great defender. He can defend a lot of great shots that I have been able to hit against him in the past, that he was able to counter defend them really well," Tsitsipas said.

Tsitsipas also discussed Svrcina, describing the qualifier as a player whose approach shares some similarities with Fritz but is less aggressive during the opening exchanges.

"Oh, yeah, okay. Yeah, he's a similar player like Taylor. Maybe not as aggressive from the first few shots," Tsitsipas said.

He expects a physically demanding contest against either potential opponent and said he would need to remain prepared for a prolonged battle to secure a place in the next round.

"I'm expecting it to be a physical match. That's how it has always been against him, and that's how I need to sort of get mentally prepared. Like, it's going to be physical, and I'm going to have to sweat to earn my spot in the next round," Tsitsipas said.