Fritz Triumphs Over Zverev in New York, Advances to Maiden Grand Slam Semi-Final

Fritz Defeats Zverev in New York, Secures First-Ever Grand Slam Semi-Final Spot

Taylor Fritz achieved a major milestone at the US Open on Tuesday, advancing to his first-ever Grand Slam semi-final on home turf. The 12th-seeded American outlasted fourth seed Alexander Zverev in a thrilling baseline contest, emerging victorious after three hours and 26 minutes. Fritz’s composure under pressure proved decisive as he claimed a 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(3) win against the German star.

“I feel incredible,” said Fritz during his on-court interview. The American, who had previously fallen short in four Grand Slam quarter-finals, described this victory as particularly meaningful. “I’ve had a lot of chances at quarter-finals over the past few years, but today felt different. I knew it was my time to take that next step, and to do it here at the US Open in front of this crowd makes it even more special.”

For the second major tournament in a row, Fritz displayed resilience against Zverev, currently ranked No. 2 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. In a battle that echoed their previous five-set encounter at Wimbledon, Fritz once again outlasted his opponent, who is known for grinding out wins in Grand Slam matches.

Throughout the match, Fritz’s determination was evident as he earned 13 break points against Zverev’s powerful serve, converting two of them to delight the home crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. While Zverev fought valiantly, his chances were hampered by untimely errors, particularly during the first-set tiebreak and when he dropped his serve at 4-5 in the third set, despite initially recovering from 0/40 to deuce.

Although Zverev managed to level the match by winning the second set with a crucial break in the eighth game, Fritz largely dictated the pace. Zverev’s more passive approach allowed the American to control the extended rallies. Fritz also excelled with his first serve, winning 81% (66/81) of points behind it.

Reflecting on his performance, Fritz emphasized the importance of his strong serve but acknowledged the need for a well-rounded game at the highest level. “Having a big serve is helpful,” he said to on-court interviewer Nick Kyrgios. “But when you’re facing top players, your serve comes back more often. I’ve been working on adding more variety to my game—coming to the net more, mixing in drop shots—so I can better support my serve.”

Fritz will now face fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals, with the winner becoming the first American to reach a major final since Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2009. The 26-year-old Fritz, who also reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year, boasts an impressive 16-3 record at Grand Slam events in 2024.

By leveling his head-to-head record with Zverev at 5-5, Fritz has also bolstered his chances of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals for the second consecutive year. With this win, Fritz has risen above Stefanos Tsitsipas into 11th place in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin, and a title win in New York could propel him as high as sixth in the standings.