Coming off a mixed bag of an Asian swing, Taylor Fritz is ready for his next challenge. After finishing runner-up at the Tokyo Open, he faced an early exit in Shanghai, sparking a few concerns about his form. But the American isn’t one to back down. He’s already back on court for the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, taking down his first opponent, Alexander Zverev. The real test now stands ahead, Carlos Alcaraz.

On Wednesday, the exhibition opened with quarterfinal action between Fritz and Zverev. It was their third meeting of the season, though in an unofficial tournament this time. Fritz still leads their head-to-head 9-5. He dominated the German in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, to book a semifinal clash with the World No.1.

How does he feel about it? Speaking in his post-match interview, Taylor Fritz kept expectations measured. He said,“It’s very physical, it’s tough. I know I have to be playing my absolute best with Carlos, and yeah, he makes you fight really hard just to keep up with the level that he’s playing.” That’s pure honesty.

The two have faced off three times this year, including their memorable Wimbledon semifinal. The Spaniard leads their head-to-head 4-1, but Fritz has shown signs of progress, beating Alcaraz at the Laver Cup to help Team World clinch the title. This next battle won’t be easy, though. They last met at the Japan Open final, and despite an ankle injury, the World No.1 sealed the title in straight sets 6-4, 6-4.

Now, with a $6 million prize pot tempting every swing of the racket, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Only time will tell.

This is a developing story…