Taylor Fritz makes plea to US Open crowd with Novak Djokovic history against him
Novak Djokovic will face Taylor Fritz, the last American man standing at the US Open, in Tuesday's quarterfinal, and the Californian hopes that the crowd carry him to victory
Taylor Fritz has asked for assistance from the US Open crowd after discovering that he will face Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals.
Fritz has never beaten Djokovic and has a 0-10 record against the 24-time Grand Slam champion, but he made light work of Tomas Machac in the third round. Fritz reached the final last year before losing to Jannik Sinner, and after Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton, and Frances Tiafoe lost, he is the last American man standing.
Djokovic has been open about his ageing body at the US Open this year, and the 38-year-old is coming toward the end of his career. Fritz knows he has an excellent opportunity to end the drought, and he has asked that the US Open crowd get behind him more than ever in Tuesday's quarterfinal.
Fritz, the No. 4 seed, is the last American challenger in the men's draw. Paul lost in five sets to Alexander Bublik on Saturday, and Tiafoe lost to Jan-Lennard Struff, whom Djokovic beat in straight sets on Sunday.
Shelton's elimination was more upsetting, as he suffered an injury against Adrian Mannarino and was forced to withdraw. While Fritz felt for his fellow Americans, he hopes that it will encourage him against Djokovic.
"I mean, I guess it's like it can be a good thing for me," Fritz told reporters on Sunday. "Hopefully, the crowd is really going to get behind me now because I am the last guy.
"Yeah, it's surprising. I think it's just been a rough week for the guys. I thought that, I mean, it's tough, Ben with the injury, then I think Foe and Tommy just ran into some guys who were playing -- dangerous players, playing really good tennis, so it happens.
"You know, I'm happy to be here. Hopefully, like I said, if the crowd can get behind me, we can do this."
In 10 previous meetings, Fritz has only taken three sets off Djokovic. Their matches have been sporadic over the years, but Fritz believes he is a much stronger player now.
"Yeah, the thing is I think it's spanned over so many years," Fritz added. "Like, I think the first, almost like seven or eight times I played him, I probably just wasn't a good-enough player to really have that much of a chance unless I have the best day ever and he has a bad day.
"I think only the last couple times we've played I think I've been this just better player that can, you know, I'd say compete and have chances. You know, last time we played in, I think was it Shanghai, I mean, I had looks, I had set points in the second set.
"Like, I really should have probably won the second, taken it to a third set. But yeah, I think what makes it tough is he serves well, he serves aggressive on second serves. It's tough to take advantage of his serve for how well he also returns and just is from the baseline.
"He backs it up incredibly well with the serve. So it's tough to sometimes get on him the way that he's, I guess, getting on you with the return."