Taylor Fritz is among the players with a very quick turnaround at this stage of the season as he prepares for the Basel Open.

Fritz just reached the final of the Lyon Open, where the American wildcard was beaten 6-3, 6-4 by Lorenzo Musetti. He is now looking to get back to winning ways at the Basel Open, where he is the sixth seed.

However, just before getting underway, the ATP 500 tournament in Switzerland has been hit by several withdrawals. And one has a direct impact on Fritz, who should be breathing a sigh of relief despite a last-minute change of his opening opponent.

What is preventing Taylor Fritz from winning a Grand Slam?

Taylor Fritz earns Basel Open boost with Stefanos Tsitsipas withdrawal

Stefanos Tsitsipas is among the withdrawals from the Basel Open, shortly after it was confirmed that he would play against Fritz in round one. But the Greek ace, who just reached the semifinals of the Almaty Open, is out of the event with a right shoulder injury.

And that should be welcome news for Fritz, who has a 2-5 win-loss record against his rival. That includes a meeting at the Shanghai Masters earlier this month, where Tsitsipas came from behind to beat Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Instead, the American will take on Rinky Hijikata in the first round of the Basel Open. The Australian lost in qualifying, but is into the main draw as a lucky loser. He has met Fritz once before, losing their 2024 Delray Beach clash.

Taylor Fritz’s projected path to the Basel Open title

Fritz has received an early bonus at the tournament, but the quality of the field means he could face tricky tests en route to a possible title. He has, however, managed to avoid a handful of really big names until the latter stages.

The American is projected to play against Denis Shapovalov in the round of 16, followed by a possible quarterfinal meeting with Arthur Fils. Shanghai finalist Rafael Jodar represents a potential semifinal opponent, with Ben Shelton and Novak Djokovic possibly awaiting in the final. Just as Fritz did in Lyon, Djokovic has accepted a wildcard for Basel.

And like Tsitsipas, Shanghai champion Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has withdrawn from the tournament in Switzerland, along with Alexander Bublik. The former is suffering from illness, while the latter is sidelined with a knee injury.