So, I decided to sit down and really watch that Taylor Fritz vs Sebastian Baez matchup again. I’d seen bits and pieces before, but this time I wanted to properly track what was going on, you know, make some notes for myself.
I grabbed my usual notepad and pen, settled in. My first thought was, okay, this is interesting. You’ve got Fritz, big serve, big forehand, likes to dictate from the baseline. Classic power player, really relies on those first few shots.
Then there’s Baez. Totally different kettle of fish. Smaller guy, moves incredibly well, amazing footwork. He’s more about grinding, getting balls back, using angles. A real clay-court specialist type, even though they play on hard courts too.
My Watching Process
I started the recording. Right off the bat, Fritz was doing his thing. Big serves, trying to end points quickly. You could see his strategy plain as day: hit hard, keep the points short.
But Baez, man, he was digging in. I watched him closely. He wasn’t just getting balls back; he was trying to maneuver Fritz around the court. Lots of topspin, especially on the forehand, trying to push Fritz back or pull him wide.
- Fritz’s Game: Serve, Forehand, Repeat. Looked strong when he landed the first serve.
- Baez’s Game: Movement, Defense, Angles. Tried to extend the rallies.
I jotted down how often Fritz seemed rushed when Baez got him on the run. Fritz likes his feet set, you know? Baez was doing a good job disrupting that rhythm. It wasn’t always pretty, lots of scrambling from Baez, but effective in spells.
Key Things I Noticed
There were a few moments that really stood out to me. I remember one long rally, must have been over 15 shots. Fritz had chances to finish it, but Baez just kept finding ways to return the ball, often with depth or tricky angles. You could almost feel Fritz getting frustrated. That’s Baez’s strength, making you hit that one extra ball.
On the flip side, when Fritz was dialed in, especially on his serve, Baez didn’t have many answers. The power difference was obvious. Fritz would hit an ace or a service winner, point over, just like that. Quick and easy.
I made a note about Fritz’s backhand. It held up okay, but Baez definitely targeted it sometimes, trying to break down that side before Fritz could run around and use the forehand.
End Result Thoughts
Watching it through, you could see the pattern. Fritz trying to impose his power, Baez trying to counter with consistency and movement. It really depended on who executed their plan better on the day.
Overall, it confirmed what I already kind of knew about these guys. Fritz needs to serve well and control the baseline. Baez needs to make it a physical battle, extend the points, and use his court craft. Seeing them head-to-head like this just makes those styles clash in a really clear way. It wasn’t about discovering some secret tactic, more about seeing their known strengths and weaknesses play out directly against each other. Good session, cleared up some thoughts I had.
