Djokovic to play Alcaraz in US Open semifinal after defeating Fritz

As the Serbian star fought hard to win the record-breaking 25th Grand Slam by winning a titanic US Open semifinal against Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Alcázar continued their winning ways.

With a four-set victory over fourth seed Taylor Fritz, the 38-year-old Djokovic defeated the last American in the men’s draw, the 38-year-old advanced to a record-equalling 14th US Open semifinal on Tuesday.

Djokovic improved to 16-0 against US opponents in New York with 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victories, making it his 53rd major championship championship championship run.

“It was a very close match,” he said. Djokovic, who also made the most US Open semifinal appearances, said it was really anyone’s match.

“I believed I had a really good chance of surviving some important breakpoints in the second set.” He was, in my opinion, the better player for the majority of the second and third sets.

In a close fourth set, Fritz saved two match points before making a double mistake to seal his own fate.

“That last game was nerve-wracking,” said one player. Taylor didn’t deserve that, according to Djokovic, and it was a difficult assignment to finish with a double fault.

For the first time since the Australian Open quarterfinals in January, Djokovic and Alcaraz will square off in four sets to level off on a 5-3 score.

Their fifth Grand Slam appearance on Friday is their first at Flushing Meadows. In previous hard-court victories, Djokovic has won all three of his matches.

Djokovic fights with the crowd, downs Fritz, and so does.

In the eighth game, Djokovic brought up set point on his opponent’s serve as he zipped into a 3-0 lead inside Arthur Ashe Stadium right away.

In the following game, Fritz resisted and put on more pressure, collecting five break points.

However, Djokovic couldn’t convert because he relied on his signature grit to thwart Fritz, including during an incredible 25-stroke rally.

In the fourth and sixth games of the second set, Djokovic eventually held on to win the set, but Fritz created more chances.

Djokovic took the lead when he broke for a 4-3 advantage before failing to capitalize on it. Fritz reacted by giving Djokovic a two-set lead before tamingly reversing his own serve with a double fault in the subsequent match.

This time, Djokovic stomped on the set and mockingly kissed the audience as he sat down.

However, as he began to get agitated, Djokovic pleaded with the umpire to do more to quieten the crowd as the pro-Fritz supporters welcomed their man back into the game.

Fritz broke to nudge 3-1 ahead and force a fourth set before his attention dipped for a moment. Before Djokovic and Fritz fought it out, they were awarded two match points.

Fritz fought valiantly to save both, but Djokovic won the match and scored the winning goal in the final four.

Alcaraz demolates Lehecka.

On Arthur Ashe Stadium earlier on Tuesday, Alcaraz defeated Czech Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 to reach the semifinals. Alcaraz has not dropped a set at Flushing Meadows in 2025.

Alcaraz delivered yet another almost flawless performance, firing off 28 winners with the palm of his hand.

Alcaraz broke in the opening game, which was assisted by two Lehecka double faults, and the Spaniard won the game with a backhand winner that slammed past the Czech in a thrilling cat-and-mouse game.

Lehecka became apparent agitated as he went down another break with a double fault in the seventh game, but the 2022 champion kept the momentum going in the second set when he converted a break point at the net in the first game.

Alcaraz&nbsp grinned in disbelief as he drilled a number of precise shots to set the break point in the seventh game of the final set, but Lehecka held on.

Alcaraz used his golf swing to delight fellow Spaniard and 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia, who was present, as he rallied 12-shots to win the ninth game.

He said, “I just played a really, almost, perfect match.” “I’m just feeling great and determined to make it.”

The five-time major champion, who hasn’t broken one record so far in the tournament, may try to avoid thinking about it while he regains the top spot in the world over Jannik Sinner from Italy.

He said, “I don’t want to put pressure on myself if I think about the number one spot too much, and that’s what I don’t want to do.”