Fritz finishes Zverev in four to reach first grand slam semifinal
Fritz subdues Zverev 7-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6
Taylor Fritz from California has reached the quarters at his home slam for the second consecutive year. The twenty-six-year-old has had a phenomenal season excelling on all surfaces. He triumphed on hard courts in Delray Beach, reached the final on the dirt in Munich (l. Struff), and won his third title in Eastbourne on grass.
He reached a career-high rank of #5 in February 2023 and is currently ranked and seeded twelfth. With 8 career titles including a Masters 1000 in Indian Wells, he’s still seeking his first on the grand slam stage.
Alexander Zverev from Germany with twenty-two career titles is also seeking his first grand slam having reached the final at Flushing Meadows in 2020 (l. Thiem). The twenty-seven-year-old has had a stellar season winning the trophy at the United Cup team competition and reaching the semis at the Australian Open (l. Medvedev).
Like his opponent, he has excelled on all surfaces. On the dirt, he won his 6th Masters 1000 title in Rome and reached the final at Roland Garros (l. Alcaraz) in addition to Hamburg (l. Fils). He made the semis on grass in Halle and two semis on hard at Masters 1000 events in Miami and Cincinnati.
AP Photo/Eduardo Munez Alvarez)
He leads the ATP Tour with the most match wins at 56 and led the head-to-head versus Fritz 5-4 though they split the two contested this season; Fritz prevailed in five on the lawns of the All England Club while Zverev triumphed in straights on clay in Rome. This was their first meeting in New York and on a gorgeous afternoon in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Zverev won the toss and elected to receive.
Fritz hit a 130mph ace out wide and held to 30 while Zverev struck two aces and held to love to level. The American gifted a double fault and faced two deuce points but battled and held for 2-1. The German opened the fourth with his third ace but with a double fault and netted backhand faced break point yet held.
Fritz hit his second ace and with a spectacular inside-out forehand held at love for 3-2 while Zverev hit three winners including two at the net for 3-3. Fritz pummeled two winners off the ground and held to 15 for 4-3 while Zverev served with new balls held at love.
Fritz donated another double fault yet held to 15 while Zverev serving to stay in the set, hit his fourth ace and held to 15 for 5-5. Fritz opened the eleventh with his third ace and with another, held at love for 6-5.
The world #4 served to force the breaker and incredulously, after facing triple set point, fired an ace out wide for 6-6. Fritz hit three winners and an unreturnable serve to clinch the tiebreak 7-2.
Fritz was simultaneously patient and aggressive. He dictated play from the baseline and when serving, matched Zverev’s power and placement. The two-time ATP Finals champion served first in the second and with a backhand drop volley winner, held to 30 while Fritz hit two winners including his fifth ace to level.
Zverev held at love with his sixth ace while Fritz hit his sixth to level. Zverev missed 4/5 first serves yet held to 15 for 3-2 while Fritz opened with an ace up the tee and held to 15 for parity.
Zverev gifted his second double fault but with a terrific crosscourt backhand and monster serve out wide, held for 4-3 while Fritz committed three unforced errors and dumped serve. The 2020 US Open finalist opened the ninth with a backhand volley winner and with his seventh ace secured the set 6-3.
The American served first in the third and though he faced break point and deuce, held with a fantastic forehand down the line and colossal serve out wide. Zverev donated three unforced errors, faced double break point, and dropped serve when he mishit another forehand.
Fritz opened the third with a huge serve up the tee and easily consolidated the break for 2-0. Zverev serving with new balls hit two consecutive winners and held easily to 15 while Fritz donated three unforced errors, faced a double break point, and dumped serve.
Zverev now playing with a newly strung racquet began hitting the forehand 11mph faster. Although he gifted his third double fault, he won an outstanding 25-shot rally and consolidated the break with a blistering backhand down the line.
Fritz donated his third double fault but with his eighth ace and a crisp crosscourt backhand, held to 15 for 4-3 while Zverev opened the eighth with a titanic serve up the tee and held to 15 for 4-4.
Fritz opened the ninth with his ninth ace and though he donated another double fault and faced break point following a mesmerizing 24-shot rally, held for 5-4 with his tenth ace and a forehand error from the German.
Zverev serving to stay in the set gifted three consecutive forehand errors and faced triple set point. Although he hit his eighth ace and ripped a backhand down the line, he conceded the game and set with a netted backhand.
Fritz served first in the fourth and with a marvelous inside-out forehand and backhand down the line, held to 15 while Zverev hit three winners including his ninth ace, and held at love to level.
Fritz opened with a scintillating forehand down the line and with his eleventh ace, held at love for 2-1 while Zverev gifted his fourth double fault yet held for 2-2 with an ace and a backhand drop volley winner.
Fritz missed 3/6 first serves but held to 30 with this twelfth ace. Zverev faced two deuce and two break points yet held for 3-3 with two consecutive monster serves, one at 135mph!
Fritz’s intensity never wavered as he held at love for 4-3. Zverev struck two winners and held to 30 for 4-4. Fritz opened the ninth with an extraordinary forehand down the line and held to 15 for 5-4 while Zverev serving to stay in the match, hit two aces and held at love to level.
The partisan crowd in Ashe Stadium was all-in as the set edged closer to another tiebreak. Fritz made 4/6 first serves and with an incredible inside-in backhand held for 6-5 while Zverev serving with new balls, struck an exceptional inside-out forehand to force the breaker.
Fritz was seven points from the semis; Zverev seven from the locker room. Although the German hit a 134mph ace he trailed 2-5 after Fritz won an enthralling 24-shot rally with a crosscourt forehand volley winner. Fritz reached triple match point at 6-3 and converted following two consecutive errors from Zverev.
It was a hard-hitting, competitive match. Fritz has finally reached the penultimate round at a grand slam and he did it in New York. He maintained his composure while playing with a sense of urgency.
After 3 ½ hours, he finished with twelve aces, and five double faults and won an astonishing 81% of first and 53% of second serve points. He was able to make inroads on the Zverev serve winning 25% of first and 52% of second serve return points. He won 2/13 break points while saving 2/4 and hit forty-five winners to forty-eight unforced errors.
In his first grand slam semifinal appearance he will battle Grigor Dimitrov the former world #3 and 9th seed or compatriot, Frances Tiafoe. Fritz has a winning head-to-head versus both though he has never played Dimitrov on a hardcourt. Either way, the stakes are exceedingly high with a coveted spot in a grand slam final up for grabs.
