At 38 years old, Novak Djokovic is supposed to be slowing down. Instead, on Tuesday night in New York, he showed flashes of his ruthless best dispatching Taylor Fritz in four sets, silencing a hostile US Open crowd, and reaching yet another Grand Slam semifinal.
His 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory was not routine. Fritz pushed hard, even snatching the third set. But Djokovic responded the way he has for nearly two decades by raising his game at the exact moments that mattered most.
The evening wasn’t just about tennis. With nearly 24,000 fans roaring for his American opponent, Djokovic leaned into the boos and chants. He blew kisses to the crowd, shimmied after match point, and later admitted the little dance was for his daughter’s birthday. It was classic Djokovic: turning tension into theatre.
“The dance at the end she is going to rate me tomorrow,” he smiled. “At home, we do different choreographies. Hopefully, it makes her smile when she wakes up.”
Behind the light-hearted gesture, however, was a fierce competitor rediscovering joy in competition.
Djokovic’s statistics after the win remain staggering.
- 53rd Grand Slam semifinal of his career.
- 14th US Open semifinal, more than most players have major appearances.
- Semifinals at all four majors this year—something Roger Federer last achieved in 2009.
And all this after a six-week break from tennis that had left doubts about his form and fitness.
How He Beat Fritz
Fritz, ranked fourth, served well and pushed Djokovic deep into rallies. At times, especially in the second and third sets, he looked like the sharper player. Djokovic himself admitted: “For most of the second and third set he was the better player. In these matches, a few points decide the winner.”
Those few points went Djokovic’s way largely because he made them. He saved 11 of 13 break points, finding big serves when he needed them most. He punished Fritz in long rallies, moving him side to side until errors came. When the match tightened, Djokovic delivered forehand winners and overhead smashes that left no room for doubt.
Djokovic now faces Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinal, a man who has beaten him at Wimbledon twice. Should he advance, a likely final against Jannik Sinner awaits the Italian has defeated him three times in recent majors.
Djokovic knows the challenges ahead are tougher. But if Tuesday night was a preview, he’s ready. The crowd’s jeers, Fritz’s firepower, and the weight of age could not stop him.
Instead, Djokovic sent a clear message to New York fans, to Alcaraz, to Sinner, and to anyone still doubting him: bring it on.
