Novak Djokovic aiming to 'mess up plans' of a Jannik Sinner v Carlos Alcaraz final after downing Taylor Fritz to make US Open semi-finals
Updated 04/09/2025 at 14:35 GMT+1
Novak Djokovic took his imperious record over world No. 4 Taylor Fritz to 11-0 as he downed the home favourite in four sets to set up a tantalising semi-final clash against Carlos Alcaraz. In doing so, the Serbian ensured he made the last four of every Grand Slam this season. Djokovic, though, has yet to make a final this year, and hopes to dash dreams of a meeting between the world's top two.
Djokovic looks to 'mess up the plans' of Alcaraz-Sinner final
Video credit: SNTV
Novak Djokovic is hoping to "mess up the plans of most people" by denying them a US Open final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, after securing his spot in the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows.
Djokovic beat Taylor Fritz 6-3 7-5 3-6 6-4 on Tuesday to take his dominant record over the American to 11-0. In doing so, he set up a semi-final with Alcaraz, who has dazzled in New York. The world No. 2 has yet to drop a set and his serve has been broken just once in five matches.
After some thrilling finals between the world's top two in Sinner and Alcaraz, notably at the French Open and Wimbledon, many would be hoping for a repeat at the season's final Grand Slam.
But Djokovic, who is looking to pull clear of his joint all-time record alongside Margaret Court with a 25th Grand Slam title, wants to dash those hopes.
"We don't need to spend words about two of them," Djokovic said. "We know that they are [the] two best players in the world.
"Everybody is probably expecting and anticipating the finals between two of them. I'm going to try to, you know, mess up the plans of most people.
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Highlights: Djokovic overcomes Fritz to book semi-final place
Video credit: SNTV
"Let's see. You know, Sinner still has to win a couple of matches to get to the finals. But they are playing definitely the best tennis of any player here. They have been [the] dominant force since the beginning of the tournament.
"But, you know, I definitely am not going with a white flag on the court. I don't think anybody does really when they play them, but particularly not me.
"I put myself in another semi-finals of a Grand Slam this year. I have been very consistent, most consistent on Slams this season, and that's what I said at the beginning of the year, where I would like to perform my best tennis and make the best results.
"Here we are. I have another chance, another shot. Hopefully, as I said, I can be fit enough and play well enough to keep up with Carlos. Then it can be anybody's match."
| Novak Djokovic is looking to pull clear of his joint all-time record alongside Margaret Court with a 25th Grand Slam title. Djokovic's last Grand Slam title - his 24th - was achieved at the 2023 US Open when he defeated Daniil Medvedev in the final at Flushing Meadows. |
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Djokovic made a perfect start to his quarter-final over Fritz with an immediate break, and made it count on the scoreboard by saving five break points to claim the opening set.
In the second set, the 2023 US Open champion broke the chain of 13 successive holds to get another break advantage, but he was chalked back by Fritz, who took Djokovic's serve for the first time in the match to level.
In his post-match assessment, Djokovic felt he "wasn't playing well" from this point, despite managing to gain an immediate break-back and seal the set 7-5.
"I got really out of trouble in the second," he said. "Somehow found a way to clinch that second set after serving for it 5-4. Dropped a serve, re-broke, and then I honestly wasn't, for my standards, I wasn't playing well. I don't know. I didn't feel the ball as well as I did feel the ball in the third round."
Momentum threatened to get away from Djokovic as he was pegged back a set on the scoreboard, Fritz holding resilient on serve after seizing a break for 3-1.
And in a tense fourth set, Djokovic sealed it, with the pair holding serve until 5-4, when the 24-time Grand Slam champion piled the pressure onto his opponent with two opportunities to break for the match, initially saved by Fritz, who then crumbled on deuce.
Djokovic has been defeated in each of his last five meetings with Sinner - three of which coming in Grand Slam semi-finals, so the Serbian might have been relieved to have landed on Alcaraz's side of the draw, having won his last two meetings with the Spaniard.
The 38-year-old said he will do all he can in preparation to potentially go the distance with his 22-year-old counterpart.
"It's not going to get easier," he said. "Look, as I said, I'm going to try to take one day at a time. Really take care of my body.
"Try to relax and recover. The next couple of days is really key for me to really get my body in shape and ready to battle five sets if it's needed.
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Australian Open highlights: Djokovic battles injury to down Alcaraz in thriller
Video credit: TNT Sports
"I just would really love that. Would love to be fit enough to play and to play, you know, potentially five sets with Carlos. I know that my best tennis is going to be required, but I'd rise to the occasion.
"Normally I like to play the big matches on a big stage. It's just that I'm, you know, not really sure how the body is going to feel in the next few days. But, you know, I'm going to do my very best with my team to be fit for that.
"There's going to be a lot of running involved, that's for sure. It's not going to be short points."
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