Novak Djokovic extinguishes Taylor Fritz fire to reach Australian Open semi-final

Novak Djokovic extended his control over Taylor Fritz (26) in another impressive display, triumphing with a 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory over the 12th-seeded American on a scorching Tuesday at the Australian Open. This win propels Djokovic into his 48th Grand Slam semi-final, further solidifying his record-breaking achievement.

The previous encounters between the defending champion and Fritz have always ended in the champion's favor, with the champion winning all eight matches, including a five-set victory at Melbourne Park in 2021 and a dominant win at the US Open last year.

However, Djokovic has had a slow start in this year's tournament as he aims for his 11th title and 25th major, surpassing Margaret Court's record. In the first game, which lasted a long time and had nine deuces, Djokovic was unable to break Fritz's serve.

Despite facing eight break points, Fritz showed great resilience and matched his opponent's energy in challenging conditions. He even had the opportunity to win the set with two set points, but Djokovic saved them both and forced a tiebreak, where he raised his level of play.

Djokovic delighted the crowd with a fantastic cross-court winner, earning himself five set points and taking an early lead in the match after 84 minutes of play.

In the next set, Fritz broke Djokovic's serve early on and showcased his powerful backhand winners to fend off Djokovic's attempts to respond. The American held his ground and leveled the match at one set apiece with a comfortable hold.

In the third set, Djokovic took a break to cool off by placing ice packs on his head. It was only after breaking Fritz on his 16th attempt that he found some comfort and took a 2-0 lead, providing him with the momentum to win the set.

Fritz seemed to struggle with his movement at times in the fourth set, and Djokovic capitalized on this by breaking his serve in the sixth game. Although Fritz attempted a comeback, Djokovic held on to secure the victory.

After the match, Djokovic acknowledged the challenging conditions, describing the heat and the length of the match as physically and emotionally draining. He praised Fritz for his impressive performance in the tournament.

Djokovic admitted that his conversion of break points was poor, but he emphasized that he managed to break Fritz when it truly mattered in the third and fourth sets.

Djokovic's triumph marked his 33rd successive win in Melbourne, an impressive streak that dates back to 2018. However, he was unable to participate in the 2022 tournament due to his vaccination status against the coronavirus.