Taylor Fritz welcomes Jenson Brooksby back to the tour with a straight-set clinic

MELBOURNE—Jenson Brooksby is once again a professional tennis player. After a two-year absence, the 24-year-old American returned to tour competition at the Australian Open, the venue of his last match played back in 2023. In that tournament, he stunned 3^rd-seeded Casper Ruud in the second round.

Today there would be no fairytale upset.

Brooksby is unranked and used a protected ranking to gain entry in the tournament. He intended to get some rust off at the warm-up event in Brisbane, but had to withdraw due to illness. Being out of competition for so long, victory would’ve been a Herculean task against any opponent. Drawing 4^th seeded Taylor Fritz, fresh off a US Open final, only hastened the day’s events.

Brooksby actually won the lone previous matchup between the two—a four-set win at the 2021 US Open. However, both are worlds apart from that day. Brooksby incurred a 13-month suspension in 2023 for missing three drug tests, and endured surgeries on both wrists that delayed his return even longer. Fritz, on the other hand, has worked his way into becoming a reliable Grand Slam threat.

After Stefanos Tsitsipas lost to Alex Michelsen on Day 2, the Greek told assembled media that the pace of shot in the men’s game has sped up even since his early years on tour. There’s constant pressure on almost every stroke. Michelsen, who’s only in his sophomore season, agreed that just about everybody can cook a serve and forehand. He said Fritz’s are both elite, which is why he has ascended into the Top 5.

Brooksby doesn’t follow suit. He employs a rope-a-dope, counterpunching style meant to expose rather than impose. His strokes are somewhat awkward and unique—he’s the rare player who employs a two-handed backhand volley. He often spends rallies massaging the ball and using his wheels, steadiness and guile. Injecting pace into the rally—which he does quite well on his down the line backhand—is more of a surprise tactic. Brooksby recognizes beefing up his body and strokes are things he needs to work on in order to compete in the increasingly physical game.

He managed to look the part for his first two service games. Fritz cracked groundies while Brooksby hung in points, probing for mistakes or openings. In the second game of the match, an all-court point ensued that Brooksby defended then moved into net to finish with a volley. Fritz turned around to the back curtain and gave a “game on” approving shrug.

That was as close as it got.

Brooksby wants to hug the baseline more, so he doesn’t have be constantly retrieving. But he struggled to handle the length and weight of Fritz’s ground strokes, which consistently forced errors and drew short balls he mashed with his forehand. Brooskby was chronicling on his heels, and when he did try to come out of his comfort zone and take the initiative, he was often off-target.

From 2-2, Fritz ran off 11 straight games. The first two sets took under an hour. Brooksby held to tie it at 1-1 in the third, and the crowd gave it a halfhearted cheer. John Cain Arena never really had a chance to erupt all day; the loudest applause occurred when a fan successfully guessed the changeover trivia.

Brooksby did had a few vintage moments in the third set. With Fritz serving for the match at 5-3, Brooksby hit an all-or-nothing down the line forehand winner from well off the court that left Fritz shaking his head. Then Brooksby saved a first match point with a stab backhand crosscourt half-volley winner from the baseline. But it was too little, too late—Fritz still held and win the set and match 6-3.

“It felt great,” said Brooksby of being back on the court. “It really did. The last couple of years taught me to be extra grateful for every time I’m out there and to get to compete in environments like that.”

Perhaps Brooksby’s biggest area of need going forward—in addition to more match play—is bolstering his serve. He noted how much Fritz’s serve has improved since they first played and what a difference it made in the match. Brooksby employs an abbreviated service motion, in part to help alleviate stress on his shoulder. He hopes it’s not long-term, but so far it’s felt the best for his body.

Other players have found success with the technique, but Brooksby’s needs more racquet head speed. His first serve maxes out at around 110 m.p.h., well below tour standard. Unless he hits his spots perfectly, it’s difficult for him to make an impression. And he has to connect on a high percentage because his second serve—hovering around 80 m.p.h.—is batting practice for players like Fritz.

Pretty much all the stats for the match were lopsided, but perhaps the most damning was Brooksby winning 21% (7-of-33) of his second serve points.

“I still think there’s still a lot of work to be done on the serve,” he admits. “I never want to lose the core of what’s made me good. I’m just trying to add on to it. I’m just working on doing that because I know I still have the variety. I’m really just trying to add the other stuff."

The status quo won out today, but there’s always room in the game for a disruptor.