By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
Taylor Fritz has pretty much established himself as the top dog in American tennis the last few years. Although unlike fellow Americans Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, Fritz has yet to crack into a Grand Slam semifinal, his consistency throughout each season and had him ranked as the top American for most weeks.
The man who has been the main guiding force for Fritz is his coach Michael Russell, the Michigan native who played college tennis for one year at the University of Miami before he embarked on a tennis career that lasted until age 37. Russell’s high-water mark in tennis came at Roland Garros in 2001 when he led top seed and two-time French champion Gustavo Kuerten in the fourth round two sets to love and holding a match point in the third set before the Brazilian staged an epic comeback to win – and go on to win a third and final title in Paris.
The following is an excerpt from my book “On This Day In Tennis History” (for sale and download here: https://a.co/d/4RckiRc) where this famous match is documented.
June 3, 2001 – After fighting back from a two-set-to-love deficit and saving a match point against unheralded American qualifier Michael Russell, No. 1 seed Gustavo Kuerten shows his appreciation for the French fans of Roland Garros by drawing a heart in the center of the red clay court, collapsing inside of it and showering the fans with blown kisses. “I’m very emotional and everything I got in my life, nothing was for free,” says Kuerten, who defeats Russell by a 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-1 margin. “I had to fight a lot for everything I got so far. So I like this. I like the battles. I like these challenges that I always get in front of me. Today was special. Maybe one of the greatest feelings in all my life in the tennis court was today.” Russell holds a match point serving a 5-3 in the third set and after a 26-stroke rally sees Kuerten stave off elimination with a forehand winner. Kuerten goes on to win the title, defeating Alex Corretja of Spain in the final. Kuerten performs the same heart-drawing antic after winning the title and shaking Corretja’s hand.
