World · Malaysia Bureau
Fritz advances to Basel semi-finals as Fils retires with back injury
American Taylor Fritz secured a straightforward passage to the semi-finals of the Swiss Indoors after French opponent Arthur Fils was forced to abandon their quarter-final match due to a back complaint.
LSN Malaysia ·
Fritz will contest the semi-finals at Basel after Fils retired from their quarter-final encounter with the American holding a commanding 6-2, 2-0 advantage. The French player, currently ranked eighth in the world, was unable to continue and withdrew from the match due to what appeared to be a back issue.
The retirement handed Fritz a welcome route through to the later stages of the tournament, though the American had already established clear dominance in the opening set and early stages of the second. His aggressive play and strong serving had left Fils struggling to mount an effective challenge.
Fils' withdrawal adds to the injury concerns that have affected several players at the Swiss Indoors this week. The 20-year-old had been showing promise in recent tournaments but was unable to work through the physical setback on Thursday.
Fritz will now prepare for his semi-final encounter, looking to maintain the form that saw him dispatch Fils with relative ease in the opening exchanges of their quarter-final clash.