Acapulco 2023: Tommy Paul vs Taylor Fritz preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Mexican Open

Match Details

Fixture: (7) Tommy Paul vs (3) Taylor Fritz

Date: Friday, March 3, 2023

Tournament: Mexican Open 2023

Round: Semifinal

Venue: Acapulco, Mexico

Category: ATP 500

Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt

Prize money: $2,013,940

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video

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Tommy Paul vs Taylor Fritz preview

Fritz is on a roll.

Seventh seed Paul will lock horns with third seed Fritz in an all-American semifinal at the 2023 Mexican Open in Acapulco on Friday (March 3).

The 23rd-ranked Paul improved to 11-3 in 2023 after beating Emilio Gomez, followed by a pair of wins against compatriots Michael Mmoh and Mackenzie McDonald.

Having reached a maiden Grand Slam semifinal at the Australian Open (lost to eventual winner Novak Djokovic), Paul made the quarterfinals at Delray Beach before reaching the last four in Acapulco.

Meanwhile, World No. 5 Fritz has won 14 of his 17 matches this year, negotiating three tough matches against John Isner, Denis Shapovalov, and Frances Tiafoe.

The American won four of his five matches at the inaugural United Cup before enduring a surprising second-round exit at the Australian Open (lost to Alexei Popyrin).

However, Fritz returned to form in Dallas, reaching the semis (lost to eventual winner Yibing Wu) before winning his first title of the year at Delray Beach. He has now won seven matches on the trot to reach the Acapulco semifinals.

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Tommy Paul vs Taylor Fritz head-to-head record

Paul has a 1-2 record against his higher-ranked compatriot, with all three meetings coming on hardcourt. In their last meeting in the Round of 32 in Miami, Frtiz came out trumps in straight sets.

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Tommy Paul vs Taylor Fritz odds

Player	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total games (over/under)
Tommy Paul	+150	+2.5 (-115)	Under 21.5 (+120)
Taylor Fritz	-200	-2.5 (-115)	Over 21.5 (-165)

The odds are from Oddschecker.

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Tommy Paul vs Taylor Fritz prediction

Paul is enjoying a career-best season.

Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz have similar game styles, with both Americans largely preferring to control points from the baseline.

Both players are big hitters off either flank and move well, but Fritz is the bigger server of the two, which could stand him in good stead in the pair's latest meeting. Their latest matchup should be an interesting one, as both Paul and Fritz have wins under their belt in 2023.

After a breakout year in 2022, Fritz has made a good start to 2023, becoming the first American in the top five since Andy Roddick in 2009. Having found form on the North American hardcourts, Fritz has looked imperious this week in Acapulco and should get the better of Paul.

Prediction: Fritz in straight sets