Fritz on Djokovic: 'Hopefully one of these times I'm due'

Taylor Fritz has a chance to add more success to his already unforgettable season Saturday in Shanghai.

Playing Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, the No. 7 player in the PIF ATP Rankings will hope to get his first win against the Serb. The former World No.1 holds an overwhelming 9-0 lead in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, in which the American has only won three sets.

“Hopefully one of these times I'm due, because I'm only getting better and better, and I'm excited at the opportunity to play him,” Fritz said.

“We [have] played a lot of times, and I've never gotten him, so I'm really, really just waiting for that. Excited for the chance and waiting for that time when maybe I can get a first win on him."

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This is perhaps Fritz's best chance if he is to notch a first victory against the 99-time tour-level champion. Since the last time they played at the Australian Open earlier this year, Fritz has won two titles and has made great strides at big tournaments, including his first major final at the US Open in September, where he fell to No. 1 Jannik Sinner. As a result, the 26-year-old is up to the fifth spot in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and is in prime position to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the second time.

“This year, I have felt like I've been in a better rhythm with my serve. There's been times where it hasn't felt maybe as good as I would like it to, but especially in the last match and then this match, even more so in the second set of this match, I feel like I'm serving a good percentage and hitting spots very well,” he shared.

“If a lot of my results this year, US Open included, [have] taught me anything, it's that I don't need to be playing perfect to have deep runs in tournaments and to have big results. Just my average level has improved a lot, and it's gotten me to a level where, if I compete really hard and focus really hard, a lot of times it will be enough to get me deep in the tournaments.”

Fritz ? Djokovic

Ball bludgeoning ?@Taylor_Fritz97 is leading the Serve #ShotQuality leaderboard this week, and @DjokerNole is back to his best from the back of the court ?

Game on ❗#TennisInsights | @atptour | @RolexSHMasters pic.twitter.com/HGq1biAa8a

Despite having played more than 60 matches (49-19 record according to Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index) this year, Fritz feels it is important to continue powering through, aiming for a strong finish as the end of the season approaches.

“We're coming up on the home stretch, and when I kind of get deeper into a tournament, past the first couple [of] rounds, it gets a lot easier for me to really lock in and give it absolutely everything I have. So, I feel good, as good as I can feel after playing [so] many matches."

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