Djokovic stuns Fritz to reach US Open semifinal

NEW YORK: Novak Djokovic defeated American Taylor Fritz to continue his march toward a record 25th Grand Slam title, securing a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory in the quarterfinals of the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday.

The 38-year-old entered the match with a perfect 10-0 record against Fritz but was pushed to his limits by last year’s runner-up before advancing to the semifinals and staying on track for another historic milestone.

Fritz put Djokovic under significant pressure, especially in the second and third sets. After failing to break Djokovic in his first 11 attempts, the fourth seed finally converted in the third set, using his strong serve to take the set and keep the contest alive.

Djokovic responded in the fourth set, holding serve at love to take a 5-4 lead before sealing the win when Fritz double-faulted on match point.

Reflecting on the match, Djokovic admitted it could have gone either way and credited Fritz for his performance.

“It was an incredibly close match. It was really anybody's match. I thought I was lucky to save crucial break points in the second set,” Djokovic said.

“For most of the second and third sets, he was the better player. In these kinds of matches, just a few points decide the winner. Fortunately, they went my way, particularly at the end of the fourth set.”

Djokovic will face Carlos Alcaraz in a highly anticipated semifinal showdown as he bids to claim his fifth US Open crown and move closer to making history with a record 25th Grand Slam title.