Novak Djokovic shrugged off stifling warmth and Taylor Fritz 6-1 6-4 6-4 to breeze into the US Open semi-finals and keep on target for a fourth Flushing Meadows crown that will see him match Margaret Court’s file haul of 24 grand slams.
With temperatures as soon as once more nudging in direction of 38 levels celsius, Djokovic turned in a cool, medical effort, bettering his file in opposition to American opposition on the US Open to an ideal 12-0.
While Fritz’s grand slam got here to an finish, the US is assured not less than one participant within the males’s semi-finals with Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton assembly in an all-American conflict on Arthur Ashe afterward Tuesday with Djokovic ready to tackle the winner for a spot in Sunday’s ultimate.
“It’s expected of course that people are backing the home player and there is nothing wrong with that,” mentioned Djokovic. “I actually like the energy, like the atmosphere on centre court here.
“Day periods, night time periods, persons are moving into it.
“I’m fine with that. I thrive on that energy and try to use it as a fuel.
“I’ve been taking part in on this courtroom for thus a few years, so many epic matches, I can not wait for one more one in a number of days time.”
Fritz could not keep the party going, although the 25-year-old had his opportunities but could convert only two of 12 break chances while committing 51 unforced errors, almost double his opponent’s 26.
Fritz had lost all seven career meetings with Djokovic and never beaten a top-10 opponent at a grand slam but rolled into the quarter-finals in sensational form, the only player to not drop a set and broken only once in 50 service games.
Djokovic wasted no time ending both those runs, breaking the American three times and then taking the first set with a booming ace.
Fritz finally held serve to open the second but was soon feeling the pressure again with Djokovic breaking the ninth seed a fourth time to go ahead 2-1 and close out the set in the same emphatic style with an ace.
With the gang getting behind him, Fritz would provide up extra resistance within the third however couldn’t discover a means again, with the 36-year-old Serb getting the decisive break at 5-4 after which holding serve – bettering to 13-0 in US Open quarter-finals.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
