American Taylor Fritz moved to the Wimbledon quarterfinals on Sunday for the third time in four years, moving forward when his injured opponent Jordan Thompson retired 41 minutes later when he stepped 6-1, 3-0.
As Fritz progresses, this is the fifth consecutive major in which at least one American has made the quarterfinals. This is the longest winning streak for American men, six times in a row, from 2002 to the 2004 Australia Open.
Unseeded Thompson’s movements and strength were clearly compromised. The Australian took part in the match with back and leg issues and left court in the second set on Sunday due to a medical timeout and was stopped after trying to play for another three points.
Thompson has previously retired in the majors, but most recently, in 2023 the US opened to Botic van des Andschulp due to a foot injury. He was also forced to finish the 2021 Australian open match with Casperudo with a shoulder injury.
“That’s clearly not the way I want to experience,” Fritz, No. 5 seed. “It’s just sad… I respect what he came out. His body is incorrect.”
For Fritz, it was a shorter work day after playing five setters and one four setter early in the tournament.
Fritz and Ben Shelton are the only Americans remaining in the men’s singles draw, winning straight sets on Saturday to advance to the 16th round. In the coming years, only two American men have reached the Wimbledon semi-finals. Sam Query in 2017 and John Isner in 2018.
Fritz then faced Russia’s 17th seed Karen Khachanov, defeating Kamil Madzurzak 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 to reach the second Wimbledon quarterfinals.
“To be honest, it was a really great performance today – at least from my side,” Kachanov said.
Khachanov was a Grand Slam semifinalist at the US Open in 2022 and the Australian Open in 2023, and was a quarterfinalist at the All England Club four years ago.
Majchrzak, who was 109th, was playing his fourth match in the majors for the first time. He had lost six Grand Slams before Wimbledon and had been in a row.
Fritz, runner-up at the US Open last year, was 12-1 in Grass this season, winning the title in Stuttgart and Eastbourne. Since winning 12 tour-level grass matches in 1999, his 12 tour-level grass matches victory is an American victory over the season.
Other men’s matches scheduled for the second half of Sunday were two-time defending champions Carlos Alkaraz vs. No. 14 Andrei Lubrev and Nicholas Jarry vs. Cam Nolly.
ESPN research and Associated Press contributed to this report.