Record-setting Djokovic and Gauff steam into US Open semi-finals

Novak Djokovic

Coco Gauff

NEW YORK (AFP): Novak Djokovic charged into a record 47th Grand Slam semi-final on a steamy Tuesday at the US Open with a straight-sets win over Taylor Fritz, while home favourite Coco Gauff stayed on track for her first major title.

Djokovic shrugged off ninth seed Fritz 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 to extend his dominance of American players in New York and take another step closer to a record-extending 24th men’s Grand Slam title.

The 36-year-old Serbian star will appear in his 13th US Open semi-final, eclipsing the mark he shared with long-time nemesis Roger Federer for most appearances in the last four of a Grand Slam. Djokovic awaits the up-and-coming Ben Shelton, who took down 10th seed and 2022 semi-finalist Frances Tiafoe in an all-American affair in Tuesday’s night session at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Gauff swept into the last four earlier on Tuesday with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko in 68 minutes in the baking midday heat.

The 19-year-old is the first American teenager to reach the US Open semi-finals since Serena Williams in 2001.

The sixth seed will meet this year’s French Open runner-up Karolina Muchova for a place in Saturday’s final in a repeat of the championship match won by Gauff last month in Cincinnati.