2023 US Open: Djokovic, Gauff through to semifinals
Novak Djokovic charged into his 13th US Open semifinal on Tuesday with a straight-sets win over Taylor Fritz, while home favourite Coco Gauff stayed on track for her first Grand Slam title.
Djokovic shrugged off ninth seed Fritz 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 to extend his dominance of American players in New York and take another step closer to a record-extending 24th men’s Grand Slam title.
The 36-year-old Serbian star will appear in a record 47th major semifinal, eclipsing the mark he shared with longtime nemesis Roger Federer.
Djokovic awaits either 10th seed Frances Tiafoe or the up-and-coming Ben Shelton, who face off in an all-American affair in Tuesday’s night session.
The three-time US Open champion defeated Fritz for the eighth time in a row, Djokovic barely allowing his error-riddled opponent to lay a glove on him.
Fritz had lost serve just once across four three-set wins in reaching his first US Open quarterfinal, but the 25-year-old was broken three straight times to start the match.
Djokovic resisted four break points at 2-1 in the second set and hauled himself over the line after a rollercoaster final few games in the third set, maintaining his quest for a triumphant return to world No 1 next week.
Gauff swept into the last four earlier on Tuesday with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko in 68 minutes in the baking midday heat on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The American sixth seed will meet the winner between this year’s French Open runner-up Karolina Muchova and Romanian veteran Sorana Costa for a place in Saturday’s final.
The 19-year-old Gauff has now won 16 of 17 matches since her first round loss at Wimbledon, picking up titles in Washington and Cincinnati to establish herself as one US Open favourites.
