Ninth victory in nine meetings for the 36-year-old champion against the American. The latter was not unworthy, however. Winner 10 times on the side of Melbourne, the world number one, had given up a set during his first two rounds, had won in the 3rd round against Etcheverry and had walked against Adrian Mannarino (6-0, 6-0, 6-3). It was again more complicated against an excellent Fritz.
Like the first game, 16 minutes long, the 26-year-old American held on to the shock and even claimed two set points first, at 6-5. But in the tie-break, the world number 1 enforced his law. Unable to break Fritz in the second set, Djokovic, zero opportunities converted out of fifteen obtained in the first two sets, was never able to regain the Floridian’s early break, to let him equalize at one set all. Before gaining the upper hand on the American during the last two rounds.
For his eleventh semi-final in Melbourne, the Serbian, who has scored a 33rd consecutive victory in the Australian Grand Slam, will face in the last four, either the Italian Jannik Sinner, world number 4, or the Russian Andrey Rublev, 5th. Novak Djokovic is therefore only two victories away from an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title.
“I suffered a lot during the first two sets, it was like he was suffocating me from the baseline, I was on my heels in most of the rallies, and it was extremely hot. Physically, it was very trying, emotionally as well,” the Serbian whispered to Nick Kyrgios.
