America’s Taylor Fritz knows very well that Wimbledon might be the best chance for him to land his first major title. “That’s the only reason I really want to be playing,” he said about his quest to win a major tournament as he now counts down the days to enter SW19. But before Wimbledon, he will get the chance to clinch his second title of the season in Eastbourne, where he is also seeking a record-extending fourth title. Talking about this pre-Wimbledon event in particular, he said, “The courts at Eastbourne always feel really good.” And next up for him in the SF is Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Who’ll get the ticket for the final?

Taylor Fritz vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina: Preview

After some stellar runs in 2024, reaching the finals of the US Open and the ATP World Tour Finals, Taylor Fritz’s 2025 season was comparatively quiet before the BOSS Open. Although he reached the SF in Miami, Fritz went down to Jakub Mensik in three sets. He made an early exit from the French Open this year but came back strongly in the next tournament in Stuttgart. Over there, he defeated Alexander Zverev, 6-3,7-6(0) in the final to lift his first title of the 2025 season.

On grass, although he got off to a flying start, Taylor Fritz couldn’t do much at the HSBC Championships, where Corentin Moutet defeated him in yet another three-set thriller. However, Fritz has been quite impressive in Eastbourne. After holding off the teenage sensation, Joao Fonseca, in the delayed opener, he managed to seal a victory against his compatriot Marcos Giron 7-5,4-6,7-5. During the seventh game of his match, Fritz sent the crowd into a frenzy by hitting a ‘tweener’ while countering Giron’s lob before chasing down the drop shot for a winner. After the match, he reiterated his love for this event, “I’ve been here so many years… I love this tournament.” Can he now make it to yet another final in one of his favorite tournaments?

Well, time will tell! Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has also been in good form this year. He had previously reached the final at the Delray Beach Open and the Mexican Open. Although luck didn’t favor the Spaniard that time, he’ll be keen to make it count this time on grass. Fokina has already secured three wins in Eastbourne, and in his last match, he defeated Jakub Mensik 6-4,7-5 on a rather windy day.

“Today was not an easy day [with] so much wind, we were trying our best, but in the end, I’m happy with how I was playing. I need to recover my body, there was a lot of diving and sliding on the court today… My muscles are a little bit tired after this match,” said the Spaniard after his QF win. Can he keep the winning run intact by defeating the world number 5?

Fritz vs Fokina: Head-to-Head

Well, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina had already stunned Taylor Fritz once earlier this year, and he’ll be keen to secure another win against the top-ranked American. He currently has a 3-2 record against Fritz, and hence, it’ll be interesting to see if Fritz can bring things on level terms with a win in this match.

• 2025 Delray Beach Open QF: Fokina 7-6(4),7-6(5).
• 2022 ATP Masters 1000 Paris R64: Fritz 7-5,6-2.
• 2022 ATP Masters 1000 Monte Carlo QF: Fokina 2-6,6-4,6-3.
• 2019 Estoril R32: Fokina 7-6(3),6-4.
• 2018 ATP Masters 1000 Madrid 1st Round Qualifying: Fritz 3-6,6-4,6-4.

Prediction: Fritz will win this match in three sets

Despite having a poor record against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Taylor Fritz will start this match as a clear favorite, and this is not only because he’s ranked twenty-three places above the Spaniard. I’m keeping him ahead solely because of his superior record on this surface. Just a few days ago, he was heard speaking about how almost half of his career titles came on grass and how confident he is while stepping on this surface.

Talking about numbers, Fritz has an overall win-loss record of 48-29 on grass. So far, in this season, it has been 6-1. But for Fokina, the overall record is 13-13, with 3-0 in 2025. Winning a title already on this surface this season is also another factor that makes him a favorite in this match. 

If we take a look at their playing styles, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina is known for his aggressive baseline game, featuring powerful groundstrokes and a strong preference for attacking lines. He has a very effective drop shot in his arsenal, and he also utilizes an underarm serve out of nowhere to surprise his opponents. His flamboyant tennis features dynamism and a willingness to take risks, and Fokina is an extremely good mover on the court.

Just like Fokina, even Taylor Fritz is known for his aggressive baseline style. Other than that, Fritz’s strong serve and powerful forehand are two of his biggest weapons in his games. In his two matches here in Eastbourne, he has already hit 33 aces compared to Fokina’s 13! His game relies on taking the ball early, dictating the play, and finishing points with strong groundstrokes. Other than that, Fritz also has a strong two-handed backhand. So, keeping all these aspects of his game in mind, I feel Taylor Fritz will get the better of his compatriot this time.