Novak Djokovic Advances to Australian Open Semi-Finals, Eying 25th Grand Slam Title After Intense Battle with Taylor Fritz

Novak Djokovic aims to maintain his Australian Open trend after overcoming a challenging test from Taylor Fritz. The world number one is now a step closer to another major, having reached the Australian Open semi-finals for the 11th time. Djokovic, who has never lost in Melbourne once advancing beyond the last eight, is determined to secure his 25th grand-slam title.

Despite having won all eight of their previous encounters, Djokovic faced a formidable challenge from American Fritz in this match. The top seed eventually secured a hard-fought victory with a scoreline of 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 after a marathon match lasting three hours and 45 minutes.

The first game alone extended to 16 minutes, and the opening set endured for 84 minutes as they battled in the heat on Rod Laver Arena. Fritz, in his third attempt to reach a slam semi-final, impressively saved all 15 break points he faced in the initial two sets, leveling the contest.

It was only the third set Fritz had won against Djokovic, the previous two occurring in a third-round clash in 2021 when Djokovic faced an abdominal injury but emerged victorious in five sets. Djokovic tightened his grip in the third set as Fritz felt discomfort in his left foot, and consecutive breaks in the fourth set paved the way for Djokovic to secure a record-extending 48th slam semi-final appearance.

Interviewed by Nick Kyrgios on court, Djokovic reflected on the challenging match, stating, “I suffered a lot in the first couple of sets, also due to his high-quality tennis. He was really kind of suffocating me from the back of the court. It was really difficult to find the right timing, especially with the hot weather and the sun still out. We all know Taylor has one of the best serves in the world. I knew the kind of threat he poses when he serves at such a high quality. Conversion of the break points was really poor, but I managed to break him when it mattered. I think I upped my game midway through the third set all the way through to the end.”