Fritz falls to Japanese spoiler in Tokyo

The year-end final hopes of Taylor Fritz took a hammering on Thursday as the top seed was knocked out of the ATP Tokyo event 0-6, 6-5, 7-6 (2) by local wild card Shintaro Mochizuki.

The outsider ranked 215 showed up the US Open quarter-finalist in the two-hour shocker,leaving Fritz stranded as he battles in the closing weeks of the season for a place in the eight-man ATP Finals in Turin.

The American stands provisional ninth but can perhaps take solace in the fact that eighth-standing Holger Rune was defeated this week in Stockholm.

The final jockeying for Turin positions will take place over the next fortnight, with the moment of truth set to arrive at the Paris Masters  starting a week from Monday.

The 20-year-old Asian challenger erased a 2-5 deficit in the final set, with Fritz dropping serve to love as he tried to wrap up victory in the second round.

The local took a 3-0 lead in the deciding tiebreaker and converted on his first match point as fans at the Ariake Colosseum went wild.

Mochizuki lined up the match of his life against Alexei Popyrin; he is the second Japanese player to defeat a Top 10 player this season after Taro Daniel ambushed then-fourth-ranked Casper Ruud in Acapulco.

Aussie Alex de Minaur joined Popyrin in the last eight through his 6-0, 7-5 thrashing of Diego Schwartzman.

Minaur is the first from his country since Lleyton Hewitt  nearly two decades ago (2004) to reach 10 ATP quarter-finals in a season.

“I’m most proud of how I stay composed out there. I was up a bit in the second set,” the winner said after his 41st victory of the season.

“I could have let that slip but I kept my head together, told myself I would get more chances and I was able to sneak through in two sets.”

Main photo:- Wild Car Shintaro Mochizuki celebrates in Tokyo – by ATPTour.com