Taylor Fritz will have to finally beat Novak Djokovic for shot at US Open glory

With Taylor Fritz the last hope for American men in the U.S. Open, he’ll face a quarterfinal date vs. Novak Djokovic — the formidable foe he’s never defeated.

With Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul gone, can the always crazy crowd at Flushing Meadows push Fritz — America’s ultimo hombre — to finally break through?

“It can be a good thing for me. Hopefully, the crowd is really going to get behind me now because I’m the last guy,” said Fritz, 27. “Yeah, it’s surprising. I think it’s just been a rough week for the guys. … I’m happy to be here, and hopefully, if the crowd can get behind me, we can do this.”

It’ll be something Fritz has never done. The Californian was a finalist here last year, but he’s winless against Djokovic. He’s 0-10 against the Serb and has dropped 23 of the 26 sets they’ve played.

“The first seven or eight times I played him, I just wasn’t a good enough player to really have much of a chance unless I have the best day ever and he has a bad day,” Fritz said. “Only the last couple times we’ve played, I’ve been a better player that can, I’d say, compete and have chances.

“Last time we played in Shanghai, I had looks. I had set points in the second set. I really should’ve probably won the second, taken it to a third set.”

Fritz served for the set in the Shanghai Masters before Djokovic pulled out a 6-4, 7-6 (6) win. Djokovic also needed a first-set tiebreaker to take a tough four-set win earlier last year in the Australian Open. And Fritz had served for a set in the 2022 ATP Final before the Serb gutted out a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6) victory.

In short, the same way Coco Gauff broke through against Iga Swiatek — taking the past three after dropping 11 of her first dozen — there is no magic trick.

“The way to turn it around is just to become a better player. Coco would probably say the same thing,” Fritz said. “I’m not thinking about all the losses I had to Novak … five years ago. I was nowhere near the level of player that I am now.

“In the most recent matches we’ve had, there’s been looks. I just haven’t been able to make it happen in the important moments of those matches. That’s what makes the best guys the best guys. They’re not going to give it to you in those moments. You have to go and take it.”

While Djokovic, 38, has been a pain in the neck for Fritz, he had to overcome pain in his own neck in the Round of 16.

The 24-time Slam winner needed multiple visits from ATP physiotherapist Clay Sniteman, working on his right shoulder and neck, then his right firearm.

“[Fritz] is knocking on that door,” said Djokovic.

“Taylor definitely is one of the guys that no doubt has a game, has a potential to be a Grand Slam winner. He was playing finals here last year. He was one match away, so there’s no reason not to believe that he can make it. Hopefully, not this year, but any other year is fine.”