Novak Djokovic faced a tough challenge from Taylor Fritz at the US Open on Tuesday. He won the match 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4. Djokovic moved closer to winning his 25th major title. The 38-year-old Serbian star, who has won the US Open four times, kept his perfect record against Fritz at 11-0. Fritz missed many chances, converting only two of his 13 break points.
Djokovic called the match very close. He said either player could have won. He felt lucky to save key break points in the second set. Fritz played better for most of the second and third sets. Djokovic said a few points decided the winner.
He struggled in earlier rounds and needed help from a physio. But he has found his form during the tournament. He will now face Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals. Djokovic leads Alcaraz 5-3 in their past matches, including wins in their last two meetings. This will be their first US Open clash.
The tennis legend stayed strong in big moments against Fritz. In the first set, Fritz had five break points when Djokovic served at 5-3 but failed to win the game. The same thing happened in the second set. Fritz had three break points when Djokovic served at 5-4. Fritz finally broke Djokovic’s serve, but Djokovic quickly took control again.
Fritz fought hard in the third set and broke Djokovic’s serve. The New York crowd was loud, cheering when Djokovic missed serves. Djokovic asked the umpire to control the crowd. Fritz hit his forehand well and won longer rallies. But he made mistakes in a key game, losing his chance to push the match to a fifth set. Fritz’s double fault on Djokovic’s third match point ended the three-hour, 24-minute battle.
Novak said the last game was stressful. He felt Fritz didn’t deserve to lose with a double fault. He praised Fritz for a great tournament. Djokovic said he didn’t control the court well and had to fight for every point. He called Fritz an aggressive player and said winning was what mattered most. He loves the sport and is proud of his effort.
After the match, Djokovic did the viral “Soda Pop” K-pop dance. He said it was for his daughter, Tara, who turned eight that day. Djokovic now shares the record for the most US Open semi-final appearances (14) with Jimmy Connors. He won the tournament in 2011, 2015, 2018, and 2023.
