Taylor Fritz has developed the highly admirable ability to consistently win matches he is expected to win, even on tough days or under challenging circumstances. This trait has been a key factor in his rise to the top despite some clear limitations in his game, and he has demonstrated it again in Tokyo this week, navigating multiple challenges on various fronts.
Coming off his Laver Cup commitments, Fritz faced the challenge of quickly adapting to Asian conditions. On top of that, he dealt with a physical setback in his opening match, surviving a three-set battle against Gabriel Diallo. He then overcame slow starts in consecutive matches, rallying past Nuno Borges in the second round and Sebastian Korda in the quarterfinals to secure another three-set victory.
Fritz converted his only previous semifinal appearance in Tokyo into a title in the 2022 edition, which remains his most recent hardcourt title outside the United States. He will be aiming to replicate that success and boost his season title count, which currently stands at two.
Jenson Brooksby missed the Asian swing for the past two years due to suspension, but once he was able to return earlier this week, he hit the ground running. He defeated three solid opponents, Ugo Humbert (last year’s runner-up), Luciano Darderi, and Holger Rune, none of whom were at their best form, to secure a place in the semifinals.
When Brooksby returned from suspension earlier this year, he suffered a humbling loss to Taylor Fritz in his first match at the Australian Open, and things looked bleak for the American. At that point, regaining match fitness, confidence, and his footing on the tour seemed like a steep challenge. Since then, however, he has made tremendous progress, capturing a title in Houston, reaching the final in Eastbourne, and returning to the top 100, making this a remarkable comeback season.
Things can only get better from here for Brooksby. Just like in the past eight months, he has no points to defend for the rest of the year, and building on this semifinal run with more wins in the coming weeks could propel him into the top 50. In his only previous appearance at an Asian event, Seoul 2022, he reached the semifinals but lost in straight sets to Denis Shapovalov.
Head-to-head: Taylor Fritz leads 2-1. For Jenson Brooksby, this matchup is similar to a few of his earlier encounters this week, facing a big-name opponent who is not at their peak. For Fritz, however, this could be his toughest challenge of the campaign, as Brooksby can dig in, fight hard, and potentially test Fritz physically in these demanding conditions. Overall, Fritz should be prepared for a serious battle this time, unlike the relatively straightforward wins he recorded in their previous two meetings this year.