By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, September 3, 2024

 

American No. 1 Taylor Fritz fended off Alexander Zverev 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(3) firing into his first Grand Slam semifinal at the US Open.

Photo credit: Sarah Stier/Getty

NEW YORK—Tossing his racquet aside, Taylor Fritz threw a massive uppercut celebrating a major knockout with an eruption of emotion.

Showing tiebreaker toughness, Fritz fended off Alexander Zverev 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(3) firing into his first Grand Slam semifinal at the US Open.

More: Gauff on Serving Collapse

Falling short in four prior major quarterfinals, Fritz showed closing power today, defeating Zverev for the second straight Slam.



“I feel amazing,” Fritz told Nick Kyrgios in his on-court interview. “Today just felt different. I just felt it was my time.”

It wasn’t time for Zverev’s normally rock-solid backhand. Zverev committed 13 of his 42 unforced errors off his trademark two-hander.

Afterward, a blunt Zverev said it was the worst he’s hit his backhand in his career and summed up his performance in a word: terrible.

“I played terrible. I mean, serving and actually returning was actually okay,” Zverev said. “From the baseline I played absolutely terrible. I don't know.

“My backhand, I don't remember since being on tour hitting my backhand this badly. I just don't. I mean, I was missing shots which were in the middle of the court with no pace, and bottom of the net. Terrible. Just absolutely terrible by me.”




Part of Zverev's problem was Fritz staying closer to the baseline and delivering deep drives at crunch time prevailing 11 years after the pair played as teenagers in the US Open boys' first round. 

The Roland Garros runner-up Zverev said seeing his backhand disintegrate when he needed it was frustrating.

“My forehand was okay, actually. My serve was okay,” Zverev said. “But my most reliable shot, the shot that I'm most known for, the shot that you normally wake me up at 3:00 a.m. and I would not miss was absolutely not there today, and I have no words for it, to be honest.”

The 26-year-old Fritz, who edged Zverev, 4-6 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 6-3, at Wimbledon in July, is the first American man in a to defeat a Top 5 opponent in Flushing Meadows since Frances Tiafoe stunned No. 3 Rafael Nadal in the 2022 fourth round.

Fritz will face either Tiafoe, in what would be an all-American semifinal on Friday, or 2019 semifinalist Grigor Dimitrov for a spot in the final.

The 12th-ranked Fritz may well be rooting hard for Tiafoe tonight—not just because they’re friends and fellow Americans. Fritz is 6-1 lifetime vs. Tiafoe, winning their last six straight meetings, while he owns a 2-1 mark against Dimitrov.



The 6’5” Fritz isn’t as quick around the court as the 6’6” Zverev, but the rangy American flicked back several returns on the stretch to force the former Olympic gold-medal champion to play one more shot.

Both men possess potent two-handed backhands. Today, Fritz’s forehand was more dangerous—and more stable—amid tiebreak pressure.

Ultimately, Fritz’s proactive court positioning was key. While Zverev was content to rally from eight to 10 feet behind the baseline and wait for something to happen, Fritz forced the issue on critical points to make it happen.

Serving at 5-6, Zverev confronted triple set point with heavy hitting.

Blasting a backhand to save the second set point, Zverev jolted a 129 mph serve winner to save the third set point. Zverev incited four forehand Fritz errors to soothe stress and hold to force the first-set tiebreaker.

The German went up 2-1 in the tiebreak before Fritz targeted the Zverev forehand racing through six straight points. Fritz three down three straight smashes to seal the opening set on his fourth set point.

Forehand instability cost both men at times. Fritz framed a forehand as Zverev broke for a 5-3 second-seat lead. Zverev torched a 126 mph serve wide for two set points and when Fritz’s forehand fell wide the world No. 4 leveled the match at one set apiece.



Forcing a timid forehand error, Fritz earned his first break of the match for a 2-0 third-set lead. Zverev jumped all over a 70 mph second serve breaking back at 2-3 then holding at 15 to level the third set at 3-all.

Digging deep, Fritz saved a break point to hold for 5-4 then got help from his opponent to score the crucial break.

Pounding down big serves, Zverev netted two forehand sitters in a row then framed a forehand sky high to face three set points. Zverev saved all three set points then erased a fourth blasting a backhand off the sideline.

A stubborn Fritz wouldn’t let the game go. Bolting a backhand pass, Fritze induced a botched volley for a fifth set point. In a stunning miss, Zverev belted his backhand into the middle of the net as Fritz broke for a two sets to one lead.

Two hours, 50 minutes into the match, Zverev denied two breaks points standing firm to hold for 3-all.

Neither man reached deuce on the opponent’s serve as the fourth set escalated into the tiebreaker.

Neither man evokes images of two-time US Open champion Patrick Rafter at net yet Zverev did win 29 of 37 net points today.

When it mattered most, Zverev pushed a point-blank drop volley wide to fall behind 0-2 in the tiebreaker.

Credit Fritz for more proactive court positioning and for continuing to take his cracks on first serve and his forehand. Fritz slashed successive serve winners to go up 4-1.

Embed from Getty Images

Following a forehand down the line forward, Fritz blocked a high forehand volley for 5-2 and gained match points when Zverev netted a backhand.

On match point, Fritz forced Zverev’s 27th forehand error securing a spot in his first Grand Slam semifinal in three hours, 27 minutes.