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Greek second seed Tsitsipas, who triumphed at
the Monte Carlo Country Club in the last two editions, was never
in the mix against Fritz, who reached the last four of a Masters
event for the first time.
"I just seemed off. My serve was not working very well today,
and against opponents like Taylor, you have to serve well,”
Tsitsipas said.
"I was aware of that during the match. I just couldn't find the
rhythm. I am much better than this and I'm disappointed I was
not able to show my game today.
"I tried to fight in the second set. It's a good lesson. It's
not a happy day for me, but it's a good lesson."
Eighth-seeded Fritz raced to a 4-0 lead in the opening set,
which he wrapped up by winning his service game to love.
Tsitsipas improved slightly in the second set, only for Fritz to
break decisively for 4-3 with a winner. He then held firm to set
up a semi-final meeting with Russian Andrey Rublev, who earlier
overcame some second-set nerves to dispatch German qualifier
Jan-Lennard Struff with a 6-1 7-6(5) victory.
Rublev lost the first game on his serve before bagging six in a
row in a quick opening set, but Struff, the world number 100,
found his stride in the second as the fifth seed showed signs of
nerves.
Rublev broke for 4-3, only for Struff to break back in the
following game and force a tiebreak, in which the Russian
regained his composure to prevail on his second match point.
In the other half of the draw, Denmark's Holger Rune tormented
third seed Daniil Medvedev with passing shots and drop shots to
advance with a 6-3 6-4 victory.
The 19-year-old Rune, who proved a sensation at last year's
French Open when he reached the quarter-finals, dropped only six
points on serve in the opening set and converted his only break
chance in the second.
He will next meet Jannik Sinner, who dismantled Lorenzo Musetti
6-2 6-2 in an all-Italian clash.
Seventh seed Sinner saved all five of the break points he faced
against Musetti, who beat world number one Novak Djokovic on
Thursday.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Toby Davis and Pritha
Sarkar)
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