Taylor Fritz won his first title of the 2026 season on Monday, beating Rafael Jodar 7-6(2), 6-4 in the final of the Mubadala DC Open in Washington. The victory ended a frustrating run of three consecutive final defeats this year — in Dallas, Halle and Tokyo — and handed the American the 11th trophy of his career.
The No. 3 seed at the ATP 500 hard-court event was pushed all the way by the 19-year-old Spaniard in a final delayed to Monday by rain. After a first set in which neither man faced serious danger on serve — both saved the only break point they faced — Fritz took control of the tie-break, racing through it 7-2 with a pair of mini-breaks.
The American then surged to a double-break 3-0 lead in the second set and looked set to cruise. Jodar, however, refused to fold: he halved the deficit in the fourth game and saved several match points before Fritz finally closed out the win on his fifth match point.
For Fritz, the Washington crown is a significant step back towards the top of the game. It is his first title since Eastbourne last year and his first above ATP 250 level since Tokyo in 2022, and it made him only the second American man to lift the Washington trophy since 2008, after Sebastian Korda in 2024.
For Jodar there was heartbreak but enormous promise. The 19-year-old, chasing a second career title after his breakthrough win in Marrakech, was bidding to become the second-youngest champion in the tournament's history. He played through an injured hand, reached his first hard-court final and will leave the US capital at a career-high ranking after a week that announced him as one of the most exciting young players on tour.
With the North American hard-court swing now under way, Fritz will hope the Washington title is the launchpad for a deep run at the US Open.
Sources
- [Tennis Majors — Fritz ends title drought in Washington, beats Jodar](https://www.tennismajors.com/atp/washington-citi-open-atp-500-atp/fritz-survives-jodar-scare-to-end-his-title-drought-in-washington-857665.html)
- [Il Tennis Italiano — Taylor Fritz rinasce a Washington: sconfitto Jodar in finale](https://www.tennisitaliano.it/taylor-fritz-rinasce-a-washington-sconfitto-jodar-in-finale-primo-titolo-dopo-un-anno/)
