Novak Djokovic continued his dominance over Taylor Fritz but not before a big test as he sealed a 7-6(3) 4-6 6-2 6-3 win over the 12th-seeded American on a steamy Tuesday at the Australian Open to move into a record-extending 48th Grand Slam semi-final.
The 36-year-old defending champion had beaten Fritz in all eight of their previous meetings, including a five-sets win at Melbourne Park in 2021 and a crushing victory at the U.S. Open last year but he was pushed to the limit on Rod Laver Arena.
"I suffered a lot first couple of sets, also due to his high quality tennis. He was serving well, he was staying close to the line and suffocating me from the back of the court," Djokovic said in an on-court interview with Nick Kyrgios.
