Novak Djokovic cruised past Taylor Fritz in less than an hour with a score of 6-0, 6-4, advancing to the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open and will crush against Alexander Zverev.
The Serbian had a smooth journey in the Cincinnati Open, with wins over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (with the Spaniard retiring when Djokovic led 6-4) and a triumph against Gael Monfils.
World No. 9 Fritz overcame Jiri Lehecka, Lorenzo Sonego, and Dusan Lajovic to reach the quarterfinals of Cincinnati for the first time in his career, marking his fifth participation.
The first set lasted just 21 minutes, showcasing Djokovic's dominance as he secured three breaks and claimed the set 6-0. Fritz struggled with his serve, managing a mere 35% first serve accuracy and a 50% win rate on those points. His second serve fared even worse at 18%.
On the other hand, Djokovic maintained a 67% first serve rate, winning 80% on first serve and 80% on second serve. He won 75% of the points played in the set.
The second set began with Fritz taking an early break and a 2-0 lead. Although he led 4-2 at one point, Fritz's consistency with the serve wavered, leading to two consecutive breaks against him. This allowed world No. 2 Djokovic to win the final four games in a row, sealing the match 6-0, 6-4.
Despite the reduced gap, Djokovic continued to dominate on serve, winning 81% of first serve points and 56% on second serve. Once again, Fritz struggled with his second serve, hitting it at a weak 36%, which played a crucial role in the victory for the 23-time Grand Slam champion.
Additionally, Djokovic tallied 13 winners and 6 unforced errors, compared to Fritz's 7 winners and 9 unforced errors.
In the semifinals, Djokovic will face Alexander Zverev, who defeated Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 6-3. They have met eleven times in total, with Djokovic triumphing seven times and Zverev securing four victories.
Novak Djokovic was asked if he feels he’s getting stronger with each match: “That’s something I’m wishing for. That every day I raise the bar slightly more the level of tennis. That’s what’s happening actually during the tournament. I played 3 great matches. Each day has been a…
