In the United States’ Taylor Fritz is still considered one of the most promising players. Fritz recently turned 20, but has seen his ranking drop out of the Top 100 this year after playing a limited schedule.
The young American was in action in the Knoxville Challenger this week. He came up against Canada’s Filip Peliwo in the last four. A close first set gave way to a rout in a 7-6, 6-1 win for the Canadian.
Peliwo had been touted as one of the best young Canadian stars after winning both Junior Wimbledon and the Junior US Open in 2012. His career hasn’t quite reached the heights expected of him since. Now 23, the young man is in with a chance of reaching his first career Challenger final. If Peliwo were to win the title it would push him to a new career-high ranking somewhere around No.220.
In other matches Henri Laaksonen put to an end Tim Smyczek’s season best seven match winning streak. Laaksonen had been one of the victims of Smyczek’s run to the title in Charlottesville last week. The Swiss was able to rectify that loss with a 7-6, 6-4 win. Laaksonen will face the in-form Peliwo for a place in the final.
Bradley Klahn is in search of his third Challenger final of the season. The American is on the comeback tour after a back injury ruled him out for nearly two years. He has almost a year of tennis under his belt since returning late last season. He defeated Britain’s Ed Corrie in 6-3, 7-6.
The final match of the day will see Denis Kudla take on Bjorn Fratangelo, with the winner of that one taking on Klahn.
The American Challenger circuit continues next week, with the tour moving to Champaign.
