- Novak Djokovic vs Taylor Fritz Australian Open 2024 quarter-final match was a complete thriller
- Djokovic is commanding a lot of expectations in Melbourne
- He is chasing a 25th Grand Slam
Novak Djokovic vs Taylor Fritz Australian Open 2024 quarter-final match was a complete thriller tennis fans can’t have enough of.
Djokovic is commanding a lot of expectations in Melbourne as a defending champion and a 10-time Australian Open winner.
There is a renewed focus on him as he runs for his 11th Australian Open win. Should he win, he will clinch his 25th Grand Slam.
Novak Djokovic vs Taylor Fritz Australian Open 2024
After two hours and 39 minutes of an intense match, Djokovic managed to break Fritz’s serve to power his way to the semi-finals.
The fearless American, who had taken the second set, denied the Serbian his first fifteen break points. Nevertheless, Djokovic broke through and won 7-6(3) 4-6 6-2 6-3.
Taylor Fritz. Photo/CNN
Fritz displayed incredible resilience in the first set, saving a whopping 15 break points against Djokovic’s relentless serve. He even held two set points of his own before succumbing in a tie-break.
The second set saw Fritz find his groove, dictating rallies with his powerful serve and groundstrokes. He secured the set 6-4, leaving Djokovic surprised and the crowd enthralled.
Djokovic adjusted his tactics after losing the second set, focusing on returning better and exploiting openings in Fritz’s game. He gathered his pace in the third set as Fritz showed signs of fatigue.
The set unravelled as Fritz was unable to produce a single ace, and Djokovic took advantage of a second break to take the lead and secure a place in the final four.
Sensing blood in the fourth set, Djokovic launched an onslaught that produced two more break points before breaking through once more to lead 4-2.
Fritz resisted the urge to give up and managed three break-back points. When a forehand sailed into the net and landed on Djokovic’s side of the court, Fritz managed to go back on serve.
But the top seed dismissed it with a third consecutive break, this time to love. Fritz’s resistance was broken at that point, as Djokovic cruised into his 48th Grand Slam semi-final.
Who Did Novak Djokovic Defeat in Four Round?
The world No. 1 defeated French tennis star Adrian Mannarino in three straight sets 6-0, 6-0, 6-3 to sail through to the quarter-finals.
Djokovic admitted that this is the best match he has played since he entered the Australian Open to defend his title.
He did not struggle as much as he did in the first and second rounds of the event and this is good for him as he enters a crucial stage of the tournament.
Novak Djokovic celebrates qualifying to the quarterfinal of the Australian Open 2024. Photo/CNN
“Today was the best day in terms of tennis, the way I felt on the court. I’m really excited to enter the second week,” he admitted after the game.
Mannarino, 35, lost to Djokovic in three sets, but he was in excellent shape. In his first three Australian Open rounds, he put on a display.
He won all three matches by using strong groundstrokes that left his opponents perplexed. But Djokovic was prepared to tackle him because he was aware of his strategies.
Novak Djokovic Vs Jannik Sinner
This victory gave him an opportunity to make history once more in Melbourne. Italian Jannik Sinner—who defeated Djokovic twice in 2023 season—will battle it out with the defending champion on Friday.
Sinner made a huge wonder after defeating Andrey Rublev while battling a stomach bug. He beat Rublev 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 to secure a spot among the last four.
But halfway through the second set, Sinner winced and appeared to be having a stomach discomfort. Commentators speculated that this might be a “micro tear” or “abdominal strain,” and he threatened to call the training.
Although the Italian managed to end the game without much drama, he acknowledged in a Laura Robson interview on Eurosport that there it wasn’t anything serious but he would keep an eye on it.
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