Djokovic outlasts Fritz in US Open quarterfinal, sets up blockbuster showdown with Alcaraz
Novak Djokovic’s hard-fought victory against Taylor Fritz (6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4) paves the way for a highly anticipated semifinal clash with Carlos Alcaraz
Novak Djokovic, US Open 2025 | © Antpoine Couvercelle for MTG
Novak Djokovic (N.7) survived a determined challenge from Taylor Fritz (N.4) on Tuesday, securing his spot in the US Open semifinals with a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory. The win sets up the blockbuster matchup everyone has been anticipating: Djokovic versus Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard was very superior to Jiri Lehecka earlier in the day. The Spaniard was far superior to Jiri Lehecka earlier in the day.
Djokovic completes the set of semi-finals at all 4 Grand Slam events this season for record-extending 7th time in his career. He ties Jimmy Connors for most men’s singles semi-finals in this tournament’s history (13).
In a thrilling quarterfinal that spanned three hours and 24 minutes under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, the Serbian legend defeated the last remaining American hopeful on the strength of his trademark consistency and clutch play on crucial points. Djokovic still has a clean sheet of 16-0 against American players in New York.
“It was anyboy’s match, Djokovic said in his post-match interview.. He’s a great player, he’s got a big game, especially on these courts, and I knew it was going to be a tough one. I had to really dig deep in that fourth set, especially with him having so much momentum. But I’m happy to have gotten through, and I’m already thinking about what’s next.”
Djokovic’s early dominance
The match began with Djokovic establishing his dominance early, breaking Fritz’s serve to take the first set 6-3. The American, playing in front of a passionate home crowd, struggled to find his rhythm on his first serve. Djokovic, in contrast, was consistent, putting 63% of his first serves in play and winning an impressive 72% of those points.
The second set proved to be a tighter affair. Fritz elevated his game, trading powerful groundstrokes and holding serve with more authority. Despite the American’s improved play, Djokovic demonstrated why he is considered one of the sport’s greatest closers. At 5-5, the Serbian capitalized on a moment of weakness, breaking Fritz’s serve before calmly holding his own to take the set 7-5.
The statistics on second serve points tell the story of the difference between the two players; Djokovic won 55% of his second serve points, while Fritz won just 47%, a slight but critical margin that gave the veteran the edge.
Djokovic – Fritz : 130-126
Just as the match appeared to be slipping away from him, Fritz roared back in the third set. He broke Djokovic for the first time in the match, riding a wave of momentum and the energy of the New York crowd. The American’s shot-making was a sight to behold, as he added to his already impressive winner tally. He finished the match with 46 winners to Djokovic’s 33, alongside 40 unforced errors to Djokovic’s 42. This aggressive play paid off, with Fritz taking the set 6-3 and forcing a fourth.
The fourth and final set was a masterclass in mental fortitude from Djokovic. The two players traded blows, but Djokovic refused to be broken. The Serbian’s experience shone through as he waited patiently for his opportunity, which came at a critical moment. He secured a crucial break point at 5-4, which served as a match point.
Djokovic converted four of his nine break point opportunities, compared to just two converted by Fritz on his nine chances. In a four-set battle that lasted nearly three and a half hours, the gap in total points won was minimal: 130 for Djokovic to 126 for Fritz.
