Taylor Fritz, the top-seeded American man at this year’s Australian Open, delivered a commanding performance on Thursday, breezing past Chilean qualifier Cristian Garin to secure his place in the third round. The world No. 4 and 2024 US Open runner-up needed just 82 minutes to claim a decisive 6-2, 6-1, 6-0 victory on the hard courts of Melbourne.
Fritz’s dominant serve and efficient play have been the hallmarks of his campaign so far. Remarkably, he has dropped only eight games across his first two matches, spending just over three hours on court. This achievement ties him for the third-fewest games lost by any male player en route to the Australian Open third round since the tournament transitioned to hard courts in 1988.
Home favorite and No. 8 seed Alex De Minaur also progressed smoothly, defeating American qualifier Tristan Boyer 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena. The Australian hopes to continue his strong run in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.
Meanwhile, veteran Frenchman Gael Monfils continued to defy age and expectations. The 38-year-old, fresh off his historic title win at the Auckland Classic—where he became the oldest player to secure an ATP title—advanced with a 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(3) victory over Germany’s Daniel Altmaier. Monfils is now the fourth-oldest man to reach the Australian Open third round since 1988. He will face Fritz in the next round in what promises to be an intriguing clash. The two have met only once before, at the 2019 Australian Open, where Fritz triumphed in four sets.
Elsewhere, No. 16 seed Lorenzo Musetti achieved a milestone by reaching the Australian Open third round for the first time in his career. The Italian outlasted Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in two tense tiebreaks before securing a 7-6(3), 7-6(6), 6-2 victory. Musetti now faces American No. 21 seed Ben Shelton, who ousted former world No. 10 Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-4 win.
As the tournament progresses, fans can expect thrilling battles ahead, with rising stars and seasoned veterans showcasing their talent on the Melbourne courts.
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