Novak Djokovic produced a determined display to defeat American Taylor Fritz and book a highly anticipated US Open semi-final against Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz.

The 37-year-old Serbian overcame fierce resistance, a barrage of break points and a partisan New York crowd before sealing a 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory in three hours and 24 minutes.

“It was an incredibly close match, it was really anybody’s match,” Djokovic admitted afterwards. “For most of the second and third sets, he was the better player. I think I was lucky at times.”

Fritz, the tournament’s fourth seed, pushed hard throughout and finally broke Djokovic at the 11th time of asking late in the second set. But a series of double faults and errors handed back the advantage, and Djokovic reasserted his authority.

The Californian capitalised on a hostile atmosphere in the third set, breaking early as sections of the crowd jeered Djokovic. Yet the four-time US Open champion dug in once more, regaining his rhythm and striking the decisive blow at 5-4 in the fourth, with Fritz double-faulting on match point.

“That last game was nerve-wracking,” Djokovic said. “Honestly, tough one for Taylor to finish with a double fault, he didn’t deserve that. In many of my service games I was just trying to stay alive, fight for every ball. In this kind of match, key points decide the winner.”

The win sets up a blockbuster semi-final against Alcaraz, 16 years Djokovic’s junior, who earlier stormed past Czech Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.

With Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal both retired, Djokovic remains the last of the sport’s iconic “Big Three,” chasing a record-extending 25th Grand Slam singles crown. But Alcaraz, alongside world number one Jannik Sinner, represents the new generation’s dominant force.

The other two men’s quarter-finals take place on Wednesday, with eighth seed Alex de Minaur facing Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime before Sinner meets fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti.

Source: BBC

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