US Open: Taylor Fritz beats Alexander Zverev to book semi-final spot as Emma Navarro also reaches final four

American Taylor Fritz beat fourth seed Alexander Zverev 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-3) to reach the semi-finals of the US Open for the first time.

The United States have not had a men’s champion on home turf since Andy Roddick 21 years ago and Fritz’s victory over former runner-up Zverev further fuels hopes of that run ending this year, especially after Frances Tiafoe defeated an ailing Grigor Dimitrov in the night match to set up a dream all-American semi-final on Friday.

Fritz beat Zverev on grass at Wimbledon in an epic five-setter earlier this summer and this time, with the added bonus of the home crowd behind him on Arthur Ashe Stadium, he needed only four.

There was little to separate the two players in a tight opening set. Zverev found himself in a hole when 0-40 down while serving to stay in the set but the German eventually recovered to force a tie-break, albeit one Fritz would ultimately take.

Zverev bounced back with a different racket, producing one of the shots of the tournament when firing a forehand from out wide over the net post that curled back and onto both the side and baselines.

That put a spring in Zverev’s step and he broke at 4-3 before serving out the second set to level the match, but Fritz returned the favour early in the third when he converted his first break point before racing into a 3-0 lead.

Although Zverev clawed his way back, he was once again forced to save set points after some nervous errors before Fritz finally took the third.

With no breaks on offer in the fourth, Fritz again got the upper hand in the tie-break as Zverev once again faltered on crucial points before the American notched one of the biggest wins of his career.

Dimitrov suffered an unfortunate injury late in the third set of his defeat to Tiafoe, who was leading 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 4-1 when the Bulgarian shook hands with his opponent at the net.

Tiafoe, the 20th seed, returns to the semi-finals for the second time in three years, but faces Fritz who leads their meetings 6-1.

Their clash will be the first all-American semi-final at Flushing Meadows since Andre Agassi and Robby Ginepri in 2005 and will guarantee a first American men’s Grand Slam singles finalist since Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2009.

Fritz: I felt like today was my time

Taylor Fritz, speaking courtside after his victory:

“I’ve had a lot of looks at Grand Slam quarter-finals over the past couple of years, and today just felt different. I really felt like it was my time to take it a step further.

“It’s only fitting I’m doing it here at this court, at the US Open in front of this crowd.

“You get to a point at the top of the game where your serve comes at you a little more, so I’ve worked on adding so much to my game.

“I’ve been trying to come to the net a little bit, to make some drop shots, and add stuff to my game so I can back up my serve a little better.”

Navarro rides second-set turnaround into semi-finals

Emma Navarro was another American to taste quarter-final success on Tuesday, the 13th seed beating Spain’s Paula Badosa 6-2 7-5 to reach the final four of a Grand Slam for the first time.

Trailing 5-1 in the second set and three points from having to go to a decider, Navarro won the next four points to stay alive, starting a stretch in which she captured 24 of the final 28 points of the match to stun Badosa.

Navarro, who ousted the defending champion Coco Gauff in the fourth round, ran through the first set in 29 minutes before 26th seed Badosa appeared to be mounting a comeback in the second set.

But Navarro broke the Spaniard in the next game and rode a stunning second-set turnaround into the semi-finals.

The 23-year-old becomes the sixth player in the last 40 years to reach the US Open semis without a previous main-draw victory in the tournament, following Steffi Graf (1985), Venus Williams (1997), Yanina Wickmayer (2009), Bianca Andreescu (2019) and Emma Raducanu (2021).

Navarro will next face No 2 seed, and two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka.

Navarro: I felt she wasn’t confident of closing second set

Emma Navarro, speaking after her victory:

“Things weren’t looking great there in the second set, but I just tried to be really tough, stick in there, make her hit one more ball.

“I thought if I could push back a little bit and make her think a little bit on her service game, maybe I could sneak my way back in there.

“Even though she was up 5-1, after I got it back to 5-2, I felt like she wasn’t totally confident in her ability to close out that set.

“I just wanted to stay really tough and stick in there. I can’t see the future, but maybe today I could a little bit. Even if I did lose the second set, I wanted to set the tone for the third set.

“I’m just really happy with my performance today and it’s crazy to be moving on to the semi-finals. US Open, baby!”

Sabalenka storms through

Navarro will face hard-hitting Sabalenka next after the Belarusian reached her fourth straight US Open semi-final as she rolled past China’s Zheng Qinwen 6-1 6-2.

Last year’s finalist Sabalenka has now made the semi-finals in seven of the last eight Grand Slam events she has played and she has won 33 of the 36 sets she has played in majors this year.

Sabalenka beat Navarro in the fourth round at the French Open but lost to her on the hard courts at Indian Wells earlier this year.

“She’s a great player,” said Sabalenka. “I saw her matches here, she’s playing incredible tennis and yeah it’s going to be great battle and I’m really looking forward to facing her again.”

What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis in September?

• Jasmin Open, Tunisia – WTA 250 (9-15 September)
• Guadalajara Open, Mexico – WTA 500 (9-15 September)
• Korea Open – WTA 500 (16 -22 September – with Emma Raducanu in action)
• Thailand Open – WTA 250 (16 -22 September)

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