Novak Djokovic finally cracks Taylor Fritz at Australian Open – after first 15 break points saved

ByBen Snowball

Published 23/01/2024 at 09:34 GMT

It took Novak Djokovic two hours and 39 minutes to crack the Taylor Fritz serve, but once he did there was no stopping the world No. 1 as he moved into the Australian Open semi-finals for the 11th time. Ominously for his rivals, he has won the tournament on the previous 10 occasions. Next up for the Serbian is a clash with either Andrey Rublev or Jannik Sinner in Melbourne.

Novak Djokovic finally wore down Taylor Fritz as he moved within two victories of a record-extending 11th Australian Open crown.

The Serbian saw his first 15 break points saved by the gutsy American, who briefly threatened an upset after taking the second set, before he eventually broke through and romped to a 7-6(3) 4-6 6-2 6-3 win.

Jannik Sinner, who beat Djokovic twice at the back end of 2023, or Andrey Rublev await in the semi-finals in Melbourne.

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Djokovic had lost just three games in his previous outing against Adrian Mannarino and the world No. 1 immediately set about examining the Fritz serve in an extraordinary opening game that stretched beyond 16 minutes.

Fritz survived three break points and nine deuces to hold, with his coach Michael Russell helpfully telling him to "keep it up", but the advice served as a warning of what was to follow as he was forced to save three more break points from 0-40 in the next game.

The American saved two more at 4-4, then got had his first sniff on his opponent's serve as an arrowing forehand found the line for 15-40. Out of nowhere, he had two set points.

But Djokovic has built his career on coming good in the biggest points and he quickly dismissed the danger. A crying baby in the stands halted his charge on game point, but it only delayed him booking his ticket for the tie-break.

The 10-time champion won the first four points as he started to rev up the crowd. Soon he was theatrically pointing to his ear after moving 6-1 ahead, demanding even more noise, and the crowd responded. Three points later, Djokovic had banked the first set.

So it was perhaps surprising to see Djokovic come out for the second looking so shaky. Two double faults, and an animated shouting match with his box, contributed to Fritz claiming the first break of the match.

Djokovic quickly settled again and showed off his remarkable defensive skills to carve out seven break-back points across the set – but Fritz saved them all.

Even the Serbian producing a remarkable serve and volley from the baseline could not halt Fritz's charge, with the 12th seed serving out the set to love to level the contest and hint at the most improbable of victories.

'Have you ever seen that before?!' - Djokovic with incredible reflex shot against Fritz

But after two hours and 39 minutes – and 15 break points – Djokovic finally cracked his opponent's serve at the start of the third set as Fritz showed signs of fatigue.

Fritz failed to land a single ace as the set slipped away, with Djokovic grabbing a second break to regain the lead as a spot in the last four beckoned.

Djokovic smelt blood and immediately went on the offensive in the fourth set, creating two more break points, before breaking through again to move 4-2 ahead.

Fritz refused to go quietly and earned three break-back points, getting back on serve when a forehand clipped the net and dropped dead on Djokovic's side of the court, but the top seed shrugged it off to deliver a third straight break, this time to love.

With that, Fritz's resistance was over as Djokovic comfortably served his way into a 48th Grand Slam semi-final.

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