Taylor Fritz held firm in a pair of tie-breaks Sunday to outlast tour rival and longtime friend Frances Tiafoe 7-6(3), 7-6(2) in a gripping all-American final at the Rakuten Japan Open.
The world No. 11 and third seed wrapped up his third championship of 2022 in a match marked by long rallies and aggressive baseline shot-making by both players.
The two 24-year-olds entertained a packed house at Ariake Tennis Park as they battled to become the first American champion at the tournament since Pete Sampras in 1996.
With the finalists winning only a single break point each, Fritz's composure in the tie-breaks proved the difference against fourth seed and world No. 19 Tiafoe, who had won his last 13 singles tie-breaks coming into the match.
"Every time we play it's always a battle and he's been playing so well, he's had such a great end of the year here," said Fritz, who is set to break into the top 10 for the first time when the next rankings are released.
"I really couldn't have played much better, it was definitely the best match of the week for me and that's definitely what it was going to take for me to win the title today."
Tiafoe won an early break point to go up 2-1 in the opening set before Fritz broke straight back at 2-2. The opponents would hold serve the rest of the way, sending down 12 aces apiece.
Fritz clinched the first-set tie-break after a grueling rally with a forehand winner down the line. He gained the initiative in the second-set tie-break after going up 1-0 against Tiafoe's serve, eventually closing out the match when the U.S. Open semifinalist sent a forehand over the baseline.
In the doubles final, Mackenzie McDonald of the United States and Marcelo Melo of Brazil defeated Spain's David Vega Hernandez and Brazil's Rafael Matos 6-4, 3-6, 10-4.
