Novak Djokovic Applauded by Fans in Win vs. Taylor Fritz to Reach US Open Semifinal

Novak Djokovic is back in familiar territory after another dominant performance on Tuesday.

Djokovic defeated Taylor Fritz 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 to remain undefeated in US Open quarterfinals and reach the semifinals for the 13th time in his legendary career. Overall, it's his 47th Grand Slam semifinal appearance, which passes Roger Federer for the most all-time in men's singles history.

It was Djokovic's fourth straight-sets victory in five matches so far in the tournament. This year's strong run comes after he missed the 2021 US Open due to his failure to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The 36-year-old was in control from the very beginning, earning three break points in the first set alone. The sweltering conditions at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York clearly had an effect on both players as the match wore on. Fritz put up more of a fight in the second and third sets, but Djokovic managed to hold on.

An interesting moment occurred in the third set when a fan appeared to distract Djokovic during a rally. The Serbian reacted angrily and eventually surrendered just his second break point of the entire match, but he quickly bounced back to break Fritz on his next serve. He closed out the match on the very next point.

Fans online were excited by Djokovic's gritty win as he outlasted his younger opponent:

Djokovic is chasing his 24th Grand Slam singles title, which would tie Margaret Court's all-time record for the most in the history of the sport. He's one step closer after his impressive performance on Tuesday.

Djokovic will face the winner of Frances Tiafoe vs. Ben Shelton in the semifinals on Friday, Sept. 8.