By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday January 23, 2024
Novak Djokovic advanced his bid for a record 25th major title with a four-set win over Taylor Fritz on Day 11.
Photo Source: Getty
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Another year of tennis has commenced down under, and the 2024 Australian Open is rounding the bend to its final weekend. Not surprisingly, Novak Djokovic is firmly planted as the top seed and heavy favorite after yet another resounding victory on Tuesday.
Djokovic notched his record 33rd consecutive Australian Open win, 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 over 12th-seeded American Taylor Fritz, booking his record 48th Grand Slam semifinal appearance, and setting a clash with either Jannik Sinner or Andrey Rublev in the last four on Friday.
It was by no means a walk in the park, particularly in the first two sets.
“I suffered a lot, first couple of sets, due to his quality of tennis,” Djokovic told the crowd on court after the match. “He was serving well, close to the lines; he was really kind of suffocating me from the back of the court. I was on my back foot in most of the rallies and it was really difficult to find the timing. It was extremely hot while the sun was still out – Physically very draining, emotionally as well.”
He may be drained, temporarily, but after five rounds of tennis in Melbourne, the 36-year-old Serbian is right where he wants to be, and where everybody else in the field feared he might be. 10-time champion Djokovic has proven to be unstoppable at this stage of the tournament – he owns a 10-0 record in both semifinals and finals at the Australian Open – and he is now two victories from a record 25th major singles titles, which would move him past Margaret Court and into first place on the sports’ all-time list.
Despite the disappointing loss, it was a great effort from Fritz.
The American, who entered the clash with an 0-8 lifetime against Djokovic, put forth a determined effort and saved all 15 break points he faced in the opening two sets. Djokovic went unbroken in the opening set as well, and took the first set tiebreak, but he was broken early in set two and that was all that 26-year-old Fritz needed to level up at a set apiece.
The defending champion would take control from there, however.
Djokovic summoned his best and waltzed through the third set in the midday heat. He broke early and dropped just three points on serve as he conserved energy in the rest of his return games and came away with a two sets to one lead.
“We all know Taylor has one of the best serves in the world, has had one of the best serves for many years. I knew the kind of threat he poses when he serves at such a high quality,” Djokovic explained, adding. “My conversion of break points was pretty poor, I think it was 4 for 21 today, but at the end of the day I managed to break him when it mattered, in the third and the fourth.”
Fritz put up a wall once again in the fourth, saving a pair of break points to hold for 1-1, and another to hold for 2-2, but Djokovic recorded breaks in two of Fritz’s next three service games, then served out the match, locking up his 94th Australian Open victory in three hours and 45 minutes
The World No.1 finished with 20 aces, 52 winners and just 26 unforced errors. Fritz hit 63 winners against 39 unforced errors, but just couldn't stay with Djokovic down the stretch as the 36-year-old hit his stride, firmed up his game and gave the Rod Laver faithful another reason to believe that 2024, like so many years before it, will be Djokovic's time to shine in Melbourne.