Japan Open 2022: Taylor Fritz vs James Duckworth preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick

Match Details

Fixture: (3) Taylor Fritz vs James Duckworth.

Tournament: Japan Open 2022.

Round: First round (Round of 32).

Venue: Tokyo, Japan.

Category: ATP 500.

Surface: Hard.

Prize money: $1,953,285.

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | Australia - beIN Sports.

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Taylor Fritz vs James Duckworth preview

Taylor Fritz at the 2022 Rothesay International Eastbourne.

Third seed Taylor Fritz will square off against World No. 101 James Duckworth in the first round of the 2022 Japan Open.

Fritz has enjoyed considerable success so far this year. At the start of the season, he reached the fourth round of a Major for the first time at the Australian Open. After failing to win consecutive matches in the next couple of events, he bounced back strongly at the Indian Wells Masters.

Fritz defeated Rafael Nadal in the final, snapping the Spaniard's 20-match winning streak to win the biggest title of his career. He made it to the fourth round of the Miami Open the following week. The American injured himself during his quarterfinal run at the Monte-Carlo Masters, affecting his clay season. He missed a couple of tournaments and lost in the second round at Roland Garros upon his return.

Fritz's grass swing commenced with a couple of first-round exits. He then won his second title of the year at the Eastbourne International. The 24-year old made it to the quarterfinals of a Major for the first time at Wimbledon, but lost to Nadal in a five-set thriller.

A quarterfinal appearance in Cincinnati was Fritz's best result in the lead-up to the US Open. However, he crashed out in the first round of the season's final Grand Slam, losing to Brandon Holt. He didn't fare well in the Davis Cup either, losing two matches and winning one. In the Laver Cup, he defeated Cameron Norrie in his only match.

James Duckworth at the 2022 US Open.

It has been a tough year for James Duckworth, who has been unable to replicate his success from the previous season. After losing in the first round of the Australian Open, he underwent hip surgery which sidelined him for four months. He returned to action at the Lyon Open, but lost in the opening round.

Duckworth failed to get past the first round in his next four tournaments, including the French Open and Wimbledon. He finally won his first match of the year in Newport, where he made it to the quarterfinals. He also reached the second round of the Atlanta Open and the Winston-Salem Open.

Duckworth lost to Dan Evans in the second round of the US Open. He made it to his second quarterfinal of the season at the San Diego Open, but lost to Marcos Giron.

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Taylor Fritz vs James Duckworth head-to-head

Duckworth leads Fritz 1-0 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2021 Canadian Open in straight sets.

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Taylor Fritz vs James Duckworth odds

Player	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games
Taylor Fritz	-650	+1.5 (-2000)	Over 20.5 (-135)
James Duckworth	+400	-1.5 (+700)	Under 20.5 (-105)

(All odds are sourced from BetMGM)

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Taylor Fritz vs James Duckworth prediction

Taylor Fritz at the 2022 BNP Paribas Open.

While Fritz has blown hot and cold this year, he has performed way better than Duckworth. However, the Australian seems to be finding his footing after a tough start to the season.

Fritz is easily the better server in this match-up and it'll aid him tremendously in attempting to gain the upper hand. He has also done relatively well during return games this season and is currently ranked 16th on the ATP tour in that department. Duckworth is a scrappy player who isn't afraid to grind out results.

Fritz is still gunning for a spot in the ATP Finals and a deep run here will further boost his odds of qualifying for it. Expect the American to make a good start here.

Pick: Taylor Fritz to win in straight sets.