Those who have designs on going deep at Grand Slams often discuss the importance of not expending too much energy in the early rounds.
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In Taylor Fritz’s case at Australian Open 2026, it might be especially important.
Fritz expressed concern about lingering knee pain at the start of the season, and after his first-round win over Valentin Royer said, “I'm way better than I expected to be after how I felt my first week or so in Australia.”
Fritz, who again began his new season at the United Cup, then revealed that other injuries surfaced leading into AO 2026.
The world No.9 is well known for competing hard while hurt – most famously perhaps in the 2022 Indian Wells final when he beat Rafael Nadal despite a serious ankle complaint – but starting a campaign banged up is not desirable.
Fritz, then, must have been pleased with Thursday’s second-round showing against Vit Kopriva of Czechia.
The majority of the highlight-reel points went to Kopriva, but Fritz’s consistent baseline hitting and fine serving earned the Californian a 6-1 6-4 7-6(4) victory at John Cain Arena in a tidy one hour, 58 minutes.
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“It was tense,” said Fritz. “I felt like the whole third set, he really raised his level. He was playing really well, just crushing the ball.”
Kopriva enjoyed a breakthrough 2025, reaching the top 100 and earning a maiden Grand Slam win.
When he downed Fritz’s fellow big server Jan-Lennard Struff in five sets in the first round, it marked his first-ever Australian Open win.
Fritz, though, didn’t give the now world No.101 a chance to get going.
Fritz won the first nine points, although when Kopriva did get his first point on the board it turned out to be a rasping forehand down the line.
With the opening set flashing by in a mere 21 minutes, Kopriva might have harkened back to his encounters against Jannik Sinner at the US Open last year and Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon in 2024.
He won four games against Sinner and five against Djokovic.
Kopriva did finally get into the match – to the delight of the fans – after saving a break point for 2-3 in the second.
He duly took Fritz to deuce in the ensuing game, but was undone by a poor drop shot. Tapping his forehead with his racquet indicated he knew it was the wrong decision.
In Fritz’s next two service games, Kopriva lashed a backhand down the line and forehand cross court.
Both times his fellow 28-year-old held serve, though.
Kopriva earned his first break point at 1-0 in the third. Not holding back, however, his fizzed forehand return from a first serve went narrowly wide.
He still hung tough and led 5-4.
With Fritz serving at 15-30, a fourth set loomed. Yet to Fritz’s relief, Kopriva missed a forehand and the hold came for 5-5.
A reeling Kopriva dropped serve only to get a second chance when Fritz finally and surprisingly buckled on serve.
But the 2024 US Open finalist stepped it up on serve in the tiebreak, and stole Kopriva’s thunder when earning the lone mini-break for 3-2.
His acrobatic forehand slice down the line from a Kopriva volley prompted a jubilant celebration.
“I was really unfortunate to not serve it out but all I was thinking in the tiebreak was just to forget about it, bounce back … and just focus on playing each next point the best I could,” said Fritz.
Stan Wawrinka, 40, awaits Fritz in the third round. Wawrinka played for four-and-a-half hours on Thursday.
But Fritz won’t be overconfident, especially since Wawrinka is a three-time Grand Slam winner and former champ in Melbourne.
Fritz also lost to a veteran in the third round last year, Gael Monfils.
“It’s going to be fun,” he said.
“I practised with Stan at the United Cup before the tournament and I knew he was playing well. He was just battling there every match. It’s amazing what he’s still doing and the level he can produce.”