Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates after profitable his quarter ultimate match in opposition to Taylor Fritz of the U.S. within the US Open September 5, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid
NEW YORK–Novak Djokovic shrugged off stifling warmth and Taylor Fritz to breeze into the U.S. Open semi-finals 6-1 6-4 6-4 on Tuesday and keep on the right track for a fourth Flushing Meadows crown that may see him match Margaret Courtroom’s document haul of 24 Grand Slams.
With temperatures as soon as once more nudging in direction of 100 Fahrenheit (38 Celsius), Djokovic turned in a cool, clinical effort, enhancing his document in opposition to American opposition on the U.S. Open to an ideal 12-0.
Whereas Fritz’s Grand Slam got here to an finish, the U.S. is assured at the very least one participant within the males’s semi-finals with Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton assembly in an all-American conflict on Arthur Ashe in a while Tuesday with Djokovic ready to tackle the winner for a spot in Sunday’s ultimate.
“It’s anticipated after all that persons are backing the house participant and there may be nothing unsuitable with that,” mentioned Djokovic. “I truly just like the vitality, just like the ambiance on heart court docket right here.
NOVAK SAYS YOU GOTTA FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARRRRRTY.
Novak goes @tkelce on us. pic.twitter.com/IVXtD18Og4
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 5, 2023
“Day classes, night time classes, persons are entering into it.
“I’m fantastic with that. I thrive on that vitality and attempt to use it as a gas.
“I’ve been enjoying on this court docket for therefore a few years, so many epic matches, I can’t wait for an additional one in just a few days time.”
On a baking scorching day, 19-year-old Coco Gauff had warmed up the Arthur Ashe crowd, blasting previous Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko 6-0 6-2 to develop into the youngest American to succeed in the U.S. Open semi-finals since Serena Williams in 2001.
However Fritz couldn’t maintain the occasion going, though the 25-year-old had his alternatives, changing solely two of 12 break probabilities whereas committing 51 unforced errors, nearly double his opponent’s 26.
Taylor Fritz of the U.S. in motion throughout his quarter ultimate match in opposition to Serbia’s Novak Djokovic within the US Open September 5, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid
“Very humid situations, tough to play for each gamers however that’s why we prepare, attempt to get ourselves in the absolute best situations to ship,” mentioned Djokovic, after reserving his place in a document forty seventh Grand Slam semi-final, yet another than Roger Federer. “Not straightforward, however you’ve received to struggle.
“Because the track went that they performed right here 5 minutes in the past, you’ve received to struggle to your proper to occasion.”
Fritz had misplaced all seven profession conferences with Djokovic and by no means overwhelmed a top-10 opponent at a Grand Slam however rolled into the quarter-finals in sensational kind, the one participant to not drop a set and damaged solely as soon as in 50 service video games.
Djokovic wasted no time ending each these runs, breaking the American thrice after which taking the primary set with a booming ace.
Fritz lastly held serve to open the second however was quickly feeling the strain once more with Djokovic breaking the ninth seed a fourth time to go forward 2-1 and shut out the set in the identical emphatic fashion with an ace.
With the group getting behind him, Fritz would provide up extra resistance within the third however couldn’t discover a method again, with the 36-year-old Serb getting the decisive break at 5-4 after which holding serve – enhancing to 13-0 in U.S. Open quarter-finals.
“I had the possibilities within the third,” lamented Fritz. “I began enjoying some fairly good factors… I didn’t take my probabilities.
“He was stable, and I didn’t carry out nicely sufficient on lots of the large factors.”
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