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Fritz beats Zverev to end quarter-final heartache
Taylor Fritz is ranked 12th in the world, eight places below Alexander Zverev. (Getty Images)
BBC Sport – Taylor Fritz ended his run of Grand Slam quarter-final disappointment by beating Alexander Zverev to reach the US Open semi-finals.
The American 12th seed had lost all four of his previous matches at this stage of a major but edged out 2020 runner-up Zverev 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-3).
He roared in delight as Germany’s Zverev pulled the final ball wide before holding his arms aloft to take the acclaim of the crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The win keeps alive Fritz’s bid to become the first American men’s singles champion at Flushing Meadows since Andy Roddick in 2003.
Fritz could play another American in Frances Tiafoe for a place in a first Grand Slam final.
Tiafoe meets Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in Tuesday’s night session in his quarter-final.
Fritz’s victory followed New Yorker Emma Navarro beating Paula Badosa to reach the semi-finals of the women’s singles.
Fritz’s breakthrough victory
This has proved to be Fritz’s breakthrough moment in his 33rd Grand Slam appearance.
He lost to Novak Djokovic in the US Open quarter-finals in 2023, twice lost in the last eight at Wimbledon in 2022 and July this year and suffered defeat in the Australian Open quarters in January.
After sharing two tight sets, the crucial moment came deep in the third when Zverev looked to have the momentum, having recovered an early break.
He missed a straightforward backhand on break point at 4-4 which allowed Fritz to hold and then the fourth seed offered up three forehand errors to fall 0-40 behind.
Zverev fought off those three set points but Fritz eventually broke through at the fifth attempt.
Zverev will feel he had his moments but Fritz won by being able to neutralise Zverev’s booming first serve and remain the more solid with the finish line in sight.
He gained the initiative in the fourth-set tie-break by taking the first point on the Zverev serve and won a gruelling 24-point rally for the second break and a 5-2 lead.
Fritz faltered momentarily, pushing a nervous forehand wide, but Zverev offered up two more errors to seal the result.
Zverev, seeking a third US Open semi-final and his first Grand Slam title, was unusually flat in the final set and complained throughout about his racquet.
Britain’s Jack Draper is among those remaining in the top half of the draw. He plays Alex de Minaur in the quarter-final today, Wednesday.
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