Djokovic defeats Fritz for 48th Grand Slam semifinal

A ninth win in nine meetings for the 36-year-old champion against the American. However, the latter was not inappropriate. A 10-time winner on the side of Melbourne, the world number one, he dropped a set during his first two rounds, winning against Echeverri in the 3rd round and going against Adrian Mannarino (6-0, 6-0, 6-). 3). It was more complicated again against an excellent Fritz.

As in the first game, 16 minutes long, the 26-year-old American held the nerve and took the first two set points at 6-5. But in the tie-break, the world No. 1 applied his own law. Unable to break Fritz in the second set, Djokovic, converting zero of fifteen chances in the first two sets, was never able to recover the Floridian’s early break to level it at one set apiece. before getting the upper hand on the American during the last two rounds.

For his 11th semi-final in Melbourne, the Serbian, who won his 33rd straight Australian Grand Slam, will face either Italian Janic Ciner, world No. 4, or Russian Andrey Rublev, No. 5, in the last four. So Novak Djokovic is just two wins away from an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title.

“I suffered a lot during the first two sets, it felt like he was suffocating me from the baseline, I was on my heels for most of the rallies, and it was very hot. Physically it was very trying, emotionally too», said Nick Kyrgios to the Serb.