Released on September 3, 2025
Novak Djokovic established the U.S. Open semi-finals for Carlos Alkaraz and Titanic as the Serb star firmly settled a record 25th Grand Slam bid.
Djokovic, 38, advanced to the record-breaking 14th U.S. Open semifinals on Tuesday over fourth seed Taylor Fritz with a four-set victory on Tuesday, eliminating the last American in a male draw.
Djokovic’s 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory made him improve to 16-0 in New York as he reached the final four of his 53 majors.
“It was an incredibly close game. Who was it really?” Djokovic said.
“I thought I was really fortunate to save some important breakpoints in the second set. I think he was a better player in most of the second and third sets.”
Fritz saved two match points in a tight fourth set, then sealed his fate with a double fault.
“That last game was nervous. It was difficult for Taylor to end with a double shortcoming. He didn’t deserve it,” Djokovic said.
Djokovic and Alkaraz are the first to turn down since the Australian Open Quarter Final in January, since the Serbs scored a 5-3 edge in the competition by winning a 5-3 edge in four sets.
Friday’s meet is fifth in the Grand Slam, but the first is Flushing Meadows. Djokovic has won all three previous meetings on the hard court.
Djokovic with crowd wears Fritz
Djokovic quickly broke Fritz amid a raucous Arthur Ashe Stadium as he took a 3-0 lead in the first set and scored set points on his opponent’s serve in the eighth game.
Fritz resisted pressure in the next game, was stacked up and scored five breakpoints.
However, Djokovic had relied on his trademark grit to stop Fritz on his trademark grit, including an astonishing 25-stroke rally, so he was unable to convert.
Djokovic was held to eventually win the set, but Fritz ticked more chances in the fourth and sixth games of the second set.
His failure to capitalize allowed Djokovic to grab the initiative once again by breaking a 4-3 advantage. Fritz broke with Djokovic leading in two sets, but then he only surrendered his serve with a double fault in the subsequent game.
Djokovic porched the set this time and blew a kiss to the crowd as he walked into the chair.
However, he began to rill with the support of Pro Fritz to bring their man back to the contest, urging Djokovic to plead with the referee to calm the crowd more.
His focus was briefly soaked, and Fritz forced four sets to tweak forward at 3-1. It continued to serve until Djokovic raised two match points and Fritz tried to keep him alive.
Fritz scrambled to save both, but Djokovic scored another shot, and the Americans sealed his rival passages into the final four.
Alkaraz destroys Rehecca
Earlier on Tuesday, Alkaraz, who had yet to drop a set at Flushing Meadows in 2025, cruised to the semi-finals, destroying the Czech Girilehecca 6-4, 6-2 and 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Alkaraz fired 28 winners, never faced a breakpoint, and yet another almost untouched performance, which led to the crowd in his palms.
Alkaraz broke in the first match, rescued along the way with a pair of double faults in Lehecca, and the Spaniard won in a thrilling cat and mouse exchange in the net in 10 matches, sending backhand winners past the Czech Republic.
The 2022 champions kept momentum in two sets, transforming net breakpoints in the first game, and Lehecca visibly upset as he went down another break with double obstacles in his seventh game.
Alcaraz smiled at mistrust as he nailed a series of accurate shots to set a breakpoint in the seventh game of the final set, but Lehecca delved into a deeper hold.
Alcaraz won the 12-shot rally at the breakpoint of the game for the ninth game, and the golf swing celebrations were held to please 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia who was in attendance.
“I just really, or almost – the perfect match,” he said. “I feel good and hungry to make it.”
The five-time major winner has only broken once in the tournament so far, and has managed to seize the number one world ranking from Italian Janik Thinner, but he tries not to think about it.
“If I think too much about the number one spot, I’m going to put pressure on myself, and I don’t want to,” he said.
