He was aggressive, served beautifully for large periods and kept the defending champion honest during their longer rallies, but it wasn’t enough as Taylor Fritz suffered yet another defeat to Novak Djokovic as his Australian Open campaign ended in the last-eight. The American no. 1 should take heart from his display nonetheless, as Jannik Sinner prepares to face the Serb in Friday’s semifinals.
Fritz not there yet, but slowly closing the gap
- Djokovic post-match: “I suffered a lot in the first couple of sets, this match was not enjoyable for me at all, really difficult to find the right timing, I knew the kind of threat Taylor poses when he serves such a high quality.”
- Fritz hit 16 total aces, but 14 came in the first two sets which lasted little under two-and-a-half hours – he had two set points in the first, lost that in a tiebreak before showing great mental strength to clinch set two
- 42 of his 63 winners came in sets 1-2, though there was a noticeable drop-off as time wore on and his superb serving cooled. Fritz also had a left foot issue bothering him, while Djokovic soon found his ball-striking rhythm
- Jannik Sinner awaits after beating Andrey Rublev in straight-sets, while today’s quarters – Hubert Hurkacz vs. Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev vs. Carlos Alcaraz – will decide the men’s other semifinal
Novak Djokovic is two match wins away from securing a record-extending 11th Australian Open title, but again was thoroughly tested by a familiar foe that hasn’t often managed to push him quite like this four-set encounter quickly proved.
Jannik Sinner admitted after his straight-sets victory (6-4, 7-6, 6-3) over Andrey Rublev a few hours later that he could’ve easily been down two sets to love against the Russian, and the same applies for a defending champion who continues defying the odds with far younger, hungry challengers searching for chinks to exploit.
Fritz hasn’t been this close to a maiden Djokovic scalp since round three at this tournament three years ago, where their night session match was temporarily halted to enforce local spectators back home after a state-imposed curfew, the Serb clearly struggling with what later turned out to be a torn ab muscle.
That day Fritz’s unlikely comeback was stifled in a deciding set and here, the 26-year-old American will feel a whirlwind of emotions given the misfortune that preceded it.
He had two set points in the first and lost it, spent so much energy clawing himself back onto level terms that Djokovic’s 0-of-15 break point conversion didn’t signal alarm bells and by the time it did, his first serve percentage dropped off a cliff at the worst moment. Djokovic hunted those opportunities and would soon punish him.
Fritz is known for being hard on himself, perhaps more than most, but was being rewarded for aggressive groundstrokes and taking those risks by slamming a series of line-kissing winners in their competitive exchanges. Djokovic rode out the storm – aware there would be a dip – and as the conditions cooled, so did his tennis.
Less frazzled by the heat and Fritz’s intense pressure during their longer rally exchanges, he was able to dictate points more easily and the springy defensive skills demoralised a player unable to earn free points as easily as an hour before.
A left foot issue only exacerbated the issue, and before he knew it, there was to be no first Australian Open semi-final appearance. He’s now 0-9 vs. the Serb and while there’s no shame in that, it makes for grim reading given the adjustments he makes.
Instead, he was second best against a champion who knows how to navigate the pressure points and one who’ll be under the kosh against a free-hitting Sinner next.
“I’m really lucky to face him again, I’m happy to play the world number one – the only thing I can control is fight for every ball, then we’ll see what happens.”
Picture source: Getty Images
Mo and Sports 