SHANGHAI — Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz have both secured their spots in the semifinals of the Shanghai Masters as of Friday.
Djokovic, a four-time champion, managed to turn the tables after dropping the first set against Czech player Jakub Mensik, ultimately winning the match with a score of 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-4.
Mensik, who is ranked 65th, had an impressive 17 aces but also struggled with six double faults and a total of 32 unforced errors, marking their first face-off in professional tennis.
“Both of us went head to head until the end,” Djokovic commented.
“I maintained my composure and started strong in the second set. At the beginning of that set, we both faced some physical challenges. We really pushed each other with long rallies. It was a tough fight that went on for almost two and a half hours.”
With this win, Djokovic is now headed into his 77th Masters semifinal, while Fritz is set to participate in his fifth. Fritz moved forward after defeating Belgium’s David Goffin in a dominant match that ended 6-3, 6-4.
Fritz maintained control throughout the matchup and successfully converted three out of seven break points.
“I find that sometimes I need a couple of matches to get into my rhythm and determine what feels right for me in competition,” Fritz said.
“Once I make it past the initial two rounds, I feel strongly focused. I’ve already come this far, so I’m going to keep my focus sharp and truly enjoy my time here.”
It’s worth noting that Djokovic boasts a perfect record against Fritz, having won all nine previous encounters.
In another semifinal scheduled for Saturday, top-seeded Jannik Sinner will go head-to-head with Tomas Machac, who made headlines by defeating second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.
At the Wuhan Open, second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka displayed exceptional skill in her match against Magdalena Frech from Poland, claiming a decisive 6-2, 6-2 victory to maintain her perfect record at this event.
The Belarussian player fired an impressive 42 winners across 16 games, advancing to her eighth semifinal of the year, where she will face fourth-ranked Coco Gauff.
Sabalenka, the reigning U.S. Open champion, has now achieved a 15-0 record in Wuhan since her debut in 2018 and her successful title defense in 2019, prior to the tournament’s five-year break.
Earlier in the day, Gauff continued her remarkable performance during her Asian swing by swiftly defeating Poland’s Magda Linette with a score of 6-0, 6-4, marking her 50th victory of the season.
This match also contributed to Gauff’s winning streak in China, which now stands at nine matches and includes her recent title at the China Open.
She dominated Linette, ranked No. 45, breaking her service four times and hitting 19 winners compared to Linette’s 13.
“I’m really pleased with how I played,” said Gauff. “The first set was smooth, and I’m glad I could finish it off by serving well.”
The match signified a disappointing conclusion for Linette, 32, who had otherwise experienced a standout week by reaching her biggest quarterfinal to date.
In another thrilling contest, 51st-ranked Wang Xinyu from China overcame Ekaterina Alexandrova in a challenging match, finalizing with a score of 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (6).
Wang will now compete against fellow countrywoman and Paris Olympics gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, who triumphed over sixth-ranked Jasmine Paolini with scores of 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
