Close but not exactly fits the Gabriel Diallo.
The Canadian lost for the third time in many games against American Taylor Fritz on Thursday, down 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3) in the opening match of the Japan Open.
The second seed Fritz was ranked fifth in the world, defeating Diallo at Wimbledon and then defeating Diallo in a straight line at the National Bank Open.
In a battle with a large server, Fritz gained a small break at the opening point of tiebreak and never lags behind the rest of the way.
This is Diallo’s first game since he succumbed to the second round of the U.S. Open on August 28. He is the 35th world.
Diallo has 40 winners, but can’t find a way to get out of it in the tiebreak.
Fritz, the 2022 Japan Open champion, had a very fast turnaround after competing in San Francisco’s Laver Cup team last weekend.
Fritz will face Portugal’s Nuno Borges in the second round.
