Djokovic, Fritz dominate to set up blockbuster quarter-final clash
Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz delivered powerful straight-set victories on Sunday against Jen-Lennart Struff and Tomas Machac
Novak Djokovic, US Open 2025 | © Imago / PsNewz
Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz delivered commanding performances on Sunday at the US Open, securing straight-sets victories to set up a highly anticipated quarter-final showdown between two of the men’s tournament’s top contenders. Both players demonstrated their superiority, advancing with minimal fuss to keep their championship aspirations alive.
Playing under the lights on Arthur-Ashe Stadium, seventh seed Novak Djokovic dispatched German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff with a routine 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 victory. The 38-year-old, chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title, showed no signs of the physical concerns that had troubled him in previous rounds.
Djokovic was in complete control from the outset, effectively neutralizing Struff’s most potent weapon, his serve. While Struff, ranked No. 144, could only manage to land 49% of his first serves, Djokovic found the mark 65% of the time, leading to a stark contrast in their service games.
Djokovic won an impressive 79% of his first-serve points, while Struff was limited to just 66%. The Serbian was clinical on return, securing six out of eight break points. His aggressive baseline play was reflected in his statistics, tallying 33 winners and serving 12 aces with zero double faults.
The decisive victory kept alive a number of historic quests for Djokovic, who with this win becomes the oldest man in the Open Era to reach the quarter-finals of all four Grand Slams in a single season. The victory also marks his 64th Grand Slam quarter-final, extending his all-time record.
Fritz, the last American
Meanwhile, on Louis-Armstrong Stadium, American No. 1 and fourth seed Taylor Fritz gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about with a flawless 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 win over Czech Tomas Machac. As the last American man remaining in the singles draw, Fritz shouldered the pressure with a display of controlled aggression and near-perfect serving.
Fritz’s victory was built on a foundation of dominant serving and clean hitting. He won a staggering 91% of his first-serve points and 65% on his second, never facing a single break point throughout the entire match. The American, who had previously noted the surprising early exits of his fellow countrymen, including Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, felt a new sense of purpose.
“I’m happy to be here,” Fritz said in his post-match interview. “I’m happy to be the last one standing at least and hopefully since I’m the last one the crowd will really get behind me and will me through it.”
10-0 between Djokovic and Fritz
The stats highlighted the one-sided nature of the contest. Fritz hit 30 winners compared to Machac’s 17, and his disciplined play resulted in just 18 unforced errors, a sharp contrast to Machac’s 30. The win marks a third consecutive US Open quarter-final for Fritz, who looks to improve on his runner-up finish from last year and become the first American men’s champion in over two decades.
The stage is now set for a clash between two of the game’s heavyweights. While Djokovic leads their head-to-head record with a perfect 10-0 record, Fritz has shown significant improvement in recent matchups. Their quarter-final will not only be a battle of skill and tactics but also a test of experience versus the momentum of the last American hope.
