Fritz wins twice in one day to step up Eastbourne title defence

Taylor Fritz enjoyed two wins in one day as the world No 5 beat Joao Fonseca and Marcos Giron on Thursday to move closer to a fourth Eastbourne title.

Fritz's second round clash with rising Brazilian star Fonseca was suspended at one set all due to bad light on Wednesday.

Defending champion Fritz took the first set 6-3, but the 18-year-old Fonseca, ranked 57th, hit back to win the second 7-6 (7/5).

When play resumed on Thursday morning, Fritz won the deciding set 7-5 to reach the last eight.

The 27-year-old, who won the grass-court tournament in Stuttgart earlier in June, returned to court just hours later and was pushed to the brink by fellow American Giron.

Top seeded Fritz eventually prevailed against the world number 46, winning 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 to book a semifinal date with Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Friday.

Taylor goes 2 for 2 ✅@Taylor_Fritz97 digs deep to outlast Giron 7–5 4–6 7–5 and claim his second W of the day!@the_LTA | #LexusEastbourneOpen pic.twitter.com/B9Jkrtp5HH

— ATP Tour (@atptour) June 26, 2025

Davidovich Fokina, ranked 28th, beat Czech third seed Jakub Mensik 6-4, 7-5 in the quarterfinals.

The other semifinal pits French fourth seed Ugo Humbert against American world number 149 Jenson Brooksby.

Humbert beat Billy Harris 7-6 (7/4), 6-1, while Brooksby, who entered the tournament as a 'lucky loser' after a withdrawal, defeated Dan Evans 6-2, 6-3.