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‘Rafael Nadal won’t feel it because of…’, says former ATP ace

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Taylor Fritz says that one of the positive aspects of playing against Rafael Nadal is that he knows exactly how to approach the match, as there will be no ulterior motives. Fritz, 24, is on the best run of his Grand Slam career as he has reached his first Wimbledon quarter-final.

En route to the Wimbledon quarterfinals, Fritz defeated Lorenzo Musetti, Alastair Gray, Alex Molcan and Jason Kubler in straight sets. Three months ago, in the Indian Wells Masters final, Fritz claimed his first Masters title after surprising Nadal 6-3, 7-6 (5).

Now, Fritz plans to get aggressive again and go for his shots against Nadal. “I was very aggressive in that match. I took my chances. Against someone like Rafa, that’s how it is,” Fritz said, according to Ravi Ubha.

“I feel like decision-making is easy. I don’t question hitting like I would if I were playing against someone I’m supposed to beat. I might think, ‘Should I go for this, should I play it safe? Against someone like Rafa, it’s easy to always make the aggressive decision and play more freely.

I’ve been playing the whole tournament against people who, on paper, I’m supposed to beat. Honestly, that’s always difficult, because it’s harder to play those games than to play the ones where maybe you’re not the favourite.

You can be much freer.” Fritz and Nadal will meet for the third time in their respective careers when they meet in the Wimbledon quarterfinals.

Rafa will look to exact revenge

Rafael Nadal has the “best attitude necessary” to achieve the calendar-year Grand Slam, said former World No.

4 Todd Martin. “I thought Novak Djokovic was going to win the Calendar Slam last year in New York. Generally, it seems to me he doesn’t enjoy the pressure, but he can fight against it very well. I had a feeling that the pressure was going to bring out that ‘There is absolutely no way I’m losing this’ mentality from him, but it didn’t happen, and Medvedev played great as well,” said Martin.

“Long-term, Nadal is so focused on that process: what do I have to do today, what do I have to do right now. That’s the way he thinks and in my mind, he has the best attitude necessary for the Calendar Slam. This place can make anyone nervous, but maybe Nadal won’t feel it because of the way he thinks,” he added. Rafael Nadal last locked horns with Taylor Fritz in the Indian Wells final last March.

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