Novak Djokovic has secured his place in the US Open semi-finals after a grueling four-set victory over American Taylor Fritz, setting the stage for a highly anticipated clash with Carlos Alcaraz.
In a match that lasted three hours and 24 minutes, the Serb demonstrated his trademark resilience, fending off constant pressure from Fritz and a hostile crowd to win 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.
Djokovic admitted to feeling “lucky” at times during the match, telling reporters, “It was an incredibly close match, it was really anybody’s match.” He added that Fritz was “the better player” for much of the second and third sets.
The four-time US Open champion, who is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, now faces second seed Carlos Alcaraz.
The young Spaniard, 16 years Djokovic’s junior, earned his spot in the final four with a dominant 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win over Czech Jiri Lehecka.
Alcaraz, who won the US Open in 2022, has become a dominant force in men’s tennis alongside Jannik Sinner, following the retirement of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
The 22-year-old showcased his flair and shot-making ability, telling Sky Sports, “I’m here to entertain the people, myself and the team.”
The remaining men’s singles quarter-finals will take place on Wednesday, with eighth seed Alex de Minaur facing Felix Auger-Aliassime, and world number one Jannik Sinner taking on fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti.
