Fritz outlasts Nakashima to reach Washington Open final

Taylor Fritz beat Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 in the Washington Open semifinals, advancing to his 23rd ATP final and keeping an American in the title match at the ATP 500 event in Washington, D.C. The third-seeded Fritz, ranked No. 10 in the world, steadied after dropping the second set and finished with 13 aces, 24 winners and 16 unforced errors.

The all-American matchup offered a useful snapshot of the U.S. men’s field heading into the US Open. Nakashima made Fritz work through long stretches and forced a brief wobble in the second set, but Fritz’s ability to reset after the dip was the difference. Nakashima’s 27 unforced errors underscored how thin the margin was once the rallies lengthened.

For Fritz, the run has been about more than one semifinal. He saved match point against Alex Michelsen earlier in the week, then beat Belgium’s Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-4 in the second round for his 250th hard-court victory. Those results, alongside the win over Nakashima, show a player handling pressure well on a surface that will matter again in New York.

The final now pairs Fritz with Rafael Jodar, who rallied past Alejandro Tabilo 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-4 to reach his first ATP 500 final. The 19-year-old Spaniard has emerged as a surprise late-stage opponent in a draw that has already delivered two three-set semifinals and one domestic showdown that reinforced Fritz’s place at the front of the American pack.