Taylor Fritz held firm in a pair of tie-breaks Sunday to outlast tour rival and longtime friend Frances Tiafoe 7-6(3), 7-6(2) in a gripping all-American final at the Rakuten Japan Open. The world No. 11 and third seed wrapped up his third championship of 2022 in a match marked by long rallies and aggressive baseline shot-making by both players. The two 24-year-olds entertained a packed house at Ariake Tennis Park as they battled to become the first American champion at the tournament since Pete Sampras in 1996. With the finalists winning only a single break point each, Fritz's composure in the...
