Taylor Fritz overcame the soaring temperatures in Halle to advance to his second ATP final in consecutive weeks.
Fritz, the world number nine, defeated French Open champion Alexander Zverev 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 to book his place in the Halle Open final.
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Zverev struggled to deal with the heat in the first set, taking a medical timeout at 3-4, 40-40; much to the displeasure of Fritz, who was pictured in an animated conversation with the umpire during the break in play.
However, the American maintained his composure, and he will now play either Frances Tiafoe or Daniel Altmaier in Sunday’s final.
Following Saturday’s intense contest, Fritz recognised Zverev’s mid-match struggles and sent a message to his German peer.
Taylor Fritz credits Alexander Zverev for fighting through his physical issues amid hot conditions in Halle
It really was a sweltering match in Berlin, with temperatures soaring to around 30 degrees Celsius.
Fritz commented on the ‘brutal conditions’ during his post-match interview, highlighting the effects of the circumstances on his own body.
“Yeah [it was really hot], I mean especially in the beginning before the shade came over the court,” Fritz told the ATP interviewer in Germany.
Taylor Fritz’s run in Halle
- First round: beat Zizou Bergs 7-6, 5-7, 6-4
- Second round: beat Fábián Marozsán 6-2, 6-4
- Quarter-finals: beat Ben Shelton 6-7, 7-6, 7-6
- Semi-finals: beat Alexander Zverev 6-7, 6-4, 7-5
- Final: Daniel Altmaier or Frances Tiafoe
“I mean, in the beginning… it was crazy hot but I couldn’t stop sweating,” the American admitted. “I feel like I’ve never sweat like that before so yeah brutal conditions to play in.
“Tough match, credit to Sascha [Zverev] for fighting through it and making it so tough, because it’s not easy to play when you know your opponent is struggling.
“He’s hitting the ball big and he’s serving big. It’s different – it’s definitely tough to play, so credit to him for fighting through and it was brutal conditions.”
As mentioned already, Fritz will compete against either Frances Tiafoe or Daniel Altmaier in the Halle Open final.
Fritz has a 7-1 record against Tiafoe and a 0-1 record against Altmaier – having lost to the German at the 2025 French Open.
As for Zverev, his long wait for a victory against Fritz continues.
Taylor Fritz’s dominant recent record vs Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev last defeated Taylor Fritz at the 2024 Italian Open.
Since then, Fritz has won seven consecutive matches against the German.
All of these victories have either come on hard or grass courts.
| Tournament | Winner | Score |
| 2026 Halle Open | Taylor Fritz | 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 |
| 2025 Laver Cup | Taylor Fritz | 6-3, 7-6 |
| 2025 Stuttgart Open | Taylor Fritz | 6-3, 7-6 |
| 2024 ATP Finals | Taylor Fritz | 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 |
| 2024 Laver Cup | Taylor Fritz | 6-4, 7-5 |
| 2024 US Open | Taylor Fritz | 7-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 |
| 2024 Wimbledon | Taylor Fritz | 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 6-3 |
Fritz now leads his overall record against Zverev by 10 wins to five.
Zverev is not currently scheduled to play another tournament before Wimbledon.
Fritz, meanwhile, is set to play in the Mallorca Open, which begins on June 21.
