Taylor Fritz survived a mid‑match dip, a bold fightback from his opponent and even another line‑calling malfunction as he beat Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4) on Tuesday to reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon for the first time.
The American coasted through the first two sets with some imperious serving, not facing a single break point, only to dip markedly in the third to allow Khachanov back into the match. However, after falling a break behind early in the fourth set, the No 5 seed rediscovered his focus and played a near flawless tie-break to advance to a clash with the defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Fritz, who hit 16 aces. “Having played the quarter-finals here twice and lost in five [sets] twice, I don’t think I could have taken another one. I’m really happy I’m going to get to play the semis here. I’m feeling great to get through it. The match was going so well for me for two sets, I’ve never really had a match just flip so quickly, so I’m really happy how I came back in the fourth set and got it done. I think momentum was not going to be on my side in the fifth.”
Another malfunction in the electronic line-calling system occurred at the start of the fourth set, when a forehand from Khachanov, which landed four feet inside the baseline, was called “fault”. The umpire, Louise Azemar-Engzell, stopped the point, got on the phone to reset the system and the point was replayed. Fritz ended up being broken as Khachanov moved ahead.
However, the American broke back for 2-2 and from then on the two men raised the level and began to play outstanding tennis. The Russian held serve at 5-5 from 0-30, thanks to a brilliant lunging volley. Fritz was impregnable on serve again, though, and in the tie-break he began with a 138mph ace, hit two more and finished it off with a smash into the open court.
Four years ago, after he lost against Alexander Zverev here in the third round, Fritz wrote a note on his girlfriend’s phone, saying: “Nobody in the whole world is underachieving harder than you, you are so good but 40 in the world, get your shit together.” Now, he is in the top five, reached his first grand slam final at the US Open last year and is one match away from a first Wimbledon final.
“At the time, my ranking was slipping,” he said. “I was coming back from a surgery and I felt like I was not playing to the level I felt like I should be playing. That note was never supposed to be public. I was ranting to my girlfriend about it, she said: ‘Write it down, look at it.’ I’m really happy with how I’ve turned my career around over the last four years or so. I’ve put in a lot of work and it’s good to see the results.”
Standing between Fritz and a first Wimbledon final is Alcaraz, who ended British interest with an impressive victory against Cameron Norrie. The pair have played each other twice, both on hard courts, with Alcaraz winning both times. The Spaniard has won the title in each of the past two years here but Fritz believes that if he can find his level, he has a fighting chance.
“I’m happy that we’re not playing at the French Open on clay with the French Open balls because that would be an absolute nightmare,” he said, laughing. “I think grass is very much so an equaliser. So, trust in how I’m playing. I truly know the way that I played the first two sets today, there’s not much any opponent on the other side can do.”
And as an American, Fritz says he has already experienced the most pressure he is ever likely to face, when beating Frances Tiafoe to reach the US Open final last year.
“It’s given me a lot of confidence in those moments and situations, just having been there, that I can do it again,” Fritz said. “I’ve played the pressure matches. I don’t think anything’s going to get more stressful than me playing Frances in New York for a spot in the final.”
