Novak Djokovic after his victory against Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals of the US Open, in New York, September 5, 2023. CLIVE BRUNSKILL / AFP
The American Taylor Fritz could not resist Novak Djokovic. In search of a twenty-fourth Grand Slam title to equal Margaret Court’s absolute record, the Serb qualified on Tuesday, September 5, for his thirteenth semi-final at the US Open at the expense of the ninth player in the world ( 6-1, 6-4, 6-4).
At 36, Djokovic will try on Friday to reach the final of the New York Major, which he has won three times, by facing another American, Ben Shelton (47ᵉ), who defeated his compatriot Frances Tiafoe (10ᵉ) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-2.
Djokovic became the only record holder of forty-seven Grand Slam semi-finals played, now one step ahead of Roger Federer. At Flushing Meadows, only Jimmy Connors did better (fourteen). He is also the only player to have reached the last four of the four Majors this season – he was already the only one to have reached the quarters four times in 2023.
Read also: Novak Djokovic on a royal road, or almost, until the final of the US Open
A match dispatched in two and a half hours
Despite the heat, or perhaps because of it, Djokovic did not stay very long (two and a half hours) in the steam room of the Arthur-Ashe court, the roof of which had been half closed to promote the shadow on the ground.
“I cut my hair and it helped me, I was more aerodynamiche joked, before getting serious again. The conditions were very hot and humid, but it was the same for both of them. We train to resist. »
Fritz, who battled five sets against Djokovic in their previous and only Grand Slam encounter, in the third round of the 2020 Australian Open as the Serb tore his abs, was never threatening on Tuesday.
He managed to take the serve of his opponent once in the first set to pick up at 2-1 after giving up his first face-off. But, thereafter, the plays paraded in favor of Djokovic who scored four in a row to pocket this first set.
The Serb managed the break at the start of the second set and did not let go of his advantage, victoriously defending the four break points conceded. In the third set, he broke to lead 4-3, but on a bad service game, he allowed Fritz to equalize. He then won the next two games and the match.
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2023-09-06 19:24:44
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