Through to an 11th #AusOpen Semi-Final. We'll let you run the numbers, but the 10x champion's strike rate from here is pretty good! @djokernole proves too strong for a gallant Taylor Fritz 7-6(3) 4-6 6-2 6-3 @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis
MATCH REPORT | 2024 Australian Open: Novak DJOKOVIC survives early wobble to improve Taylor FRITZ record to 9-0 as semi-final spot sealed
ATPTuesday, 23 January 2024 at 10:24
After looking like he was in trouble in the early going, Novak Djokovic did as champions do and the 10 time winner of the Australian Open is into the semi-finals where he could set up a showdown with Jannik Sinner after a 7-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win over Taylor Fritz who valiantly fought after narrowly losing the first set to get one on the board but it took it out of him.
Djokovic firmly rallied from there and picked apart the Fritz serve in the latter stages after failing to break him for most of the tie prior and it was game over. Number 11 continues and again despite Djokovic not looking 100%, he is through and also improves his Head to Head record with Fritz to 9-0.
Djokovic faced heat straight from the get go as he went back to his previous poor displays in the opening few rounds albeit with Fritz unable to perhaps exert the pressure to the level he needed. Level at 5-5 in the opening set, Fritz took a 6-5 lead slapping a backhand winner down the line for 30-0 before sealing the game after an ace prior. He looked likely to pinch the opening set but Djokovic stood up to the pressure and sent it to a tie-break.
This is when Fritz folded as Djokovic couldn't miss and went 5-1 up with Fritz only taking it back to 6-3 before he lost the set and a big opportunity missed in the opening stanza. But one that Fritz got back in the second to put the frighteners on the 24-time Grand Slam champion. He broke to start the start and was drawing errors from Djokovic's racquet. After initially spurning the chance to get the set done early, he produced an epic ace down the middle to get it done after just short of an hour. The clock sat at two hours and 23 minutes for the opening two sets.
But it was Djokovic who was about to take the lead again. Finally he broke the Fritz serve after many tries to go 2-0 up and a love service game followed to put him into a 3-0 lead and he had won 12 out of the last 14 points in the clash as Fritz looked fatigued and it seemed the battle to get the set back had taken its toll. He went 4-1 and 5-2 up from there and clinched it on Fritz' serve as he fell behind early with a backhand into the net and Djokovic eased through the break from there to go one away.
Fritz kept pace in the final set of the match, but Djokovic again took a break of serve at the right moment as a tired groundstroke into the net opened the door and the Serbian brought up two break points finding the first to go 4-2 up. Djokovic then turned on the afterburners and broke again with unforced errors blighting Fritz and a tired double fault gifted it to Djokovic who serve it out from there 6-3.
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