From a Covid-19 quarantine to a special party it happened Taylor Fritz in just five days. The American, who until last Wednesday was isolated in a Seoul hotel after testing positive for the coronavirus, arrived in Japan at the last minute to play the Tokyo ATP 500in which He ended up shouting champion by beating his compatriot 7-6 (7-3) and 7-6 (7-2). Francesca Tiafè in the final this Sunday. And she also won an extra prize in the Japanese competition: because thanks to her performance she will enter the top 10 of the ranking for the first time.

“It’s crazy. I think I still can’t understand everything that has happened in the last four or five days.“, the North American acknowledged after the game.” It’s something incredible, I couldn’t have wished for something better. It is exactly what I needed for the Turin Race (the one that will determine the qualifications for the Masters at the end of the year) and for my ranking. It puts me in a good position for the end of the season, so it’s great. “

Fritz’s odyssey began when, after being crowned with the World team (formerly with Tiafoe Diego Schwartzmann among his peers) in Laver cup who brought down the curtain on the race of the Roger Federerlanded in Seoul to play a 250 tournament. There he tested positive for coronavirus, for which he had to withdraw from the race and serve seven days of solitary confinement in a hotel in that Korean city.

Last Wednesday, two days after the start of the Tokyo main draw, he finally tested negative and “found his freedom”. And he wasted no time. At dawn that same day, he took a plane to the Japanese capital. And hours after his arrival, he made his debut with a win over the Australian James Duckworth109th in the world, 6-2, 6-7 (2-7) and 6-1.

“I’m not feeling very well, although better than I thought. I’m very happy that I was able to get through all of this and win my game,” he said after the win.

“For some reason, I was confident that I would be able to hit the ball well. I was more concerned about my cardiopulmonary condition, after being very ill and unable to do anything. Luckily the pitch is very fast, so don’t play long points Physically he was fine. “

In the days that followed, he put together victories against the locals Hiroki Moriyathe Australian Nick Kyrgioswho gave him a walk by not showing up to play due to injury, and against the Canadian Denis Shapovalova party that guaranteed him the jump in the top 10 for the first time.

“It means a lot to me. Getting into the top 10 in the world is a goal that I have always had since I was very young. It is a great milestone in my career, a great milestone that I have dreamed of all my life,” he assured later. having eliminated Shapovalov.

And he laughed, “When I got here on Wednesday, Frances looked at me and said ‘Are you crazy if you play here’. I looked at him and told him ‘I will not play alone, I will win’“.

This Sunday he kept his promise right in front of his compatriot and friend. Because he prevailed in the decisive duel 7-6 (7-3) and 7-6 (7-2) against Tiafoe, 19th in the standings and who had just won his last 13 tie breaks, winning his third title of the season ( won Masters of Indian Wells 1000 Y Eastbourne) and the fourth of his career (he also lifted the crown last year in that British race).

“To turn such a bad situation – in which I didn’t even know if I would be able to play this tournament and if I did, it would have to be after seven days in a hotel room, isolated from Covid – into a title I feel. very well. And even more so when this consecration will have such an impact on my career “, said Fritz, who will be the new number eight in the world from this Monday. “It’s amazing how I went from being in quarantine to reaching this level here and winning the tournament. I didn’t expect that.”