Taylor Fritz reflected on Coco Gauff’s recent turnaround against Iga Swiatek after a previously lopsided head-to-head, while addressing his own 0-10 record against Novak Djokovic. He now faces the Serb for the 11th time in the 2025 US Open quarterfinals.
During a post-match press conference at the US Open, Fritz was asked about how he planned on turning the head-to-head record against Djokovic. The reporter cited Coco Gauff and her recent flurry against Iga Swiatek to cut down an 11-1 lead to 11-4 by winning their past three encounters.
“I think the way to turn around is just to become a better player. I think that Coco would probably say the same thing. I think she would probably tell me that she was just better at tennis when she started reversing the head-to-head,” Taylor Fritz said.
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Fritz dismissed the idea of dwelling on his early losses to Djokovic, noting that he was nowhere near the player he is today. Instead, he recalled their more recent meetings, including last year’s Shanghai clash, where he had real chances but failed to capitalize in crucial moments.
Fritz admitted that what separates the very best is their refusal to hand over opportunities.
"And that's what makes the best guys the best guys, is they're not going to give it to you in those moments. You have to go and take it," he added.
Fritz’s head-to-head with Djokovic shows clear progress. Early on, he couldn’t win a set, losing comfortably across surfaces. But as he matured into a Top 5 player, the matches grew tighter. He pushed the Serb to tiebreaks and extended battles. While still winless, Fritz is steadily narrowing the gap.
Taylor Fritz and Novak Djokovic's runs to the 2025 US Open QF
Taylor Fritz has fought his way into the US Open quarterfinals. He eased past Emilio Nava in the opening round, battled hard against Lloyd Harris in four sets, and edged Jerome Kym in a thrilling four-set win. In the fourth round, he dominated Tomas Machac 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic has looked sharp on his road to the quarterfinals. He opened with a straight-sets win over Learner Tien, followed by a solid four-set victory against Zachary Svajda. In the third round, he powered past Cameron Norrie, again, dropping just one set.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion then outclassed Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets, setting up his first battle against a seeded player at the 2025 US Open. The pair met in a US Open quarterfinal in 2023 when Djokovic dominated his way to a 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 win.
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