Preview: Novak Djokovic vs. Taylor Fritz- prediction, head-to-head, tournament so far KIK BALL

Novak Djokovic can make the semi-finals of a Grand Slam for a fourth successive occasion when he squares off with Taylor Fritz at the US Open on Tuesday.

Both men advanced from their last 16 match in straight sets, with Djokovic defeating Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3 6-3 6-2, while his upcoming opponent ousted Tomas Machac 6-4 6-3 6-3.

Match preview

More history was made by the men’s most decorated tennis player of all-time this past weekend, with Djokovic becoming the oldest male player to qualify for all four major singles tournaments in one season at 38.

While his first serve was not quite so strong on Sunday, the 24-time Grand Slam winner did not register a single double fault and won six of his eight break point opportunities.

Tuesday will be his 14th quarter-final appearance at Flushing Meadows, the second-most all-time on the men’s draw, surpassing his former rival Roger Federer and Andre Agassi, who each had 13, while only Jimmy Connors has done better (17).

Djokovic has never lost a US Open singles match in the last eight, suffering just one defeat in his previous nine Grand Slam quarter-finals, losing in the 2024 French Open against Casper Ruud in a walkover.

To this stage of the 2025 campaign, he has won 89% of his service games and has not lost a quarter-final Grand Slam match on the hard court since Stan Warinka beat him in five sets at the 2014 Australian Open.

Ranked seventh on the men’s side for this event, Djokovic has won 70% of his service points on the hard court this year, while winning 76% of his first serve points.

All tournament long, Taylor Fritz has played with an edge and looked determined to get back to the US Open final, after falling at that final hurdle a year ago.

He is the only American remaining for the men and on Sunday dominated his opponent, hitting 14 aces, while never facing a single break point.

It took him just an hour and 38 minutes to advance into the last eight of this event for a third successive occasion, while he is seeking a second consecutive trip to a Grand Slam semi-final this year after making the final four at Wimbledon.

With his victory in the last 16, the 27-year-old California native has now won 20 matches all-time on the singles draw at Flushing Meadows giving him an opportunity to make a Grand Slam semi-finals on the hard court for only the second time in his career.

Throughout the year, he has been a force when on serve, hitting over 300 aces on the hard court and winning 90% of his service games on that surface.

On the opposite side, he has converted 43% of his break points on the hard court, but won only 22% of his return games overall in 2025.

Tournament so far

Novak Djokovic:

First round: vs. Learner Tien 6-1 7-6 6-2

Second round: vs. Zachary Svajda 6-7 6-3 6-3 6-1

Third round: vs. Cameron Norrie 6-4 6-7 6-2 6-3

Round of 16: vs. Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3 6-3 6-2

Taylor Fritz:

First round: Emilio Nava 7-5 6-2 6-3

Second round: vs. Lloyd Harris 4-6 7-6 6-2 6-4

Third round: vs. Jerome Kym 7-6 6-7 6-4 6-4

Round of 16: Tomas Machac 6-4 6-3 6-3

Head To Head

Shanghai Masters (2024)- semi-finals: Djokovic wins 6-4 7-6

Australian Open (2024)- quarter-finals: Djokovic wins 7-6 4-6 6-2 6-3

US Open (2023)- semi-finals: Djokovic wins 6-4 7-6

Western and Southern Open (2023)- semi-finals: Djokovic wins 6-4 7-6

Nitto ATP Finals (2022)- semi-finals: Djokovic wins 6-4 7-6

Paris Masters (2021)- semi-finals: Djokovic wins 6-4 7-6

Italian Open (2021)- semi-finals: Djokovic wins 6-4 7-6

Australian Open (2021)- semi-finals: Djokovic wins 6-4 7-6

Madrid Open (2019)- semi-finals: Djokovic wins 6-4 7-6

Monte Carlo Masters (2019)- semi-finals: Djokovic wins 6-4 7-6

Djokovic has always gotten the better of Fritz in their lengthy history of facing each other, winning 78% of his first serves without a single double fault when they last met at the Shanghai Open semis a year ago.

The last time these two squared off at a Grand Slam, both men served up plenty of aces, with Fritz hitting 16 and Djokovic 20, and the latter winning their Australian Open quarter-final in four sets in 2024.

Fritz came closest to beating the Serbian in the third round of the 2021 Australian Open, taking him to a fifth set thanks to 24 aces, though break points were the difference as Djokovic won four and the American just three.

We say: Fritz to win in five sets

All good things must come to an end, and even though Djokovic has proven he still has a strong overall game, we believe Fritz’s momentum and power will eventually propel him to a victory with fatigue playing a factor on the Serbian.

ID:580528:1false2false3false: from db desktop :LenBod:collect8827:

Previews by email