0-10, that’s the daunting record Novak Djokovic holds over Taylor Fritz. Pure domination. Yet, with every defeat, Fritz has been learning, adapting, and closing the gap. Now, after Fritz’s victory over Tomas Machac on Sunday evening, he stands as the lone American man in the quarterfinals. But fate has thrown him right back into the lion’s den, and Djokovic awaits. With memories of past defeats lingering, Fritz steps in with renewed determination to shatter his haunting streak. And for inspiration, he’s looking toward Coco Gauff. How? Let’s dive in.

Among the flurry of questions thrown his way in the presser, one stood out: How does he plan to conquer his nemesis? Has he sought advice from anyone who’s faced a similar uphill battle, someone like Coco Gauff, who once trailed 0-7 against Iga Świątek before finally shattering that streak in the Cincinnati Open semifinals back in 2023.

Well, Fritz expressed his thoughts as he revealed that he hasn’t talked to anybody. However, if he were to talk to Gauff about it, she would probably just say that she became better, “I mean, I think the way to turn around is just to, like, become a better player, you know. I think that Coco would probably say the same thing. I think she would probably tell me that she just was better at tennis when she started reversing the head-to-head.” 

Talking about his head-to-head stats during the presser against arguably one of the greatest Tennis player of all-time, he stated, “I’m not thinking about all the losses I had to know back when I was, like, I don’t know, like five years ago. And, like, I was nowhere near the level of player that I am now. You know, what I’m thinking about fresh in my mind is, like, when we played at World Tour Finals, um, whatever year that was, I think 20, maybe 22.”

Reflecting on his long rivalry, he noted that in the first seven or eight encounters, he was simply not at the level to truly challenge the dominance of Djokovic truly. For example, he would have needed his best day and Djokovic’s worst. “I think, you know, only the last couple of times we’ve played, I think I’ve been this better player that can, you know, I’d say compete and have chances,” said Fritz.

Taylor might be a little concerned, but he hasn’t forgotten all those losses. Interestingly, he has gained valuable experience from them, preparing him to face his opponent once again. Despite the setbacks, he holds no grudge against Novak; in fact, he feels honored.

Taylor Fritz explains what makes Novak Djokovic special in the world of tennis

At an age when many might consider putting down the racket, Djokovic is ensuring that the younger generation gets a taste of his legacy. At the U.S. Open, he is making sure of that once again. With Taylor Fritz as his opponent, Djokovic may be content, but Fritz certainly isn’t. Speaking to the media, Djokovic explained what makes him so special.

“I mean, I wouldn’t say that the aura of Novak being Novak has worn off at all. You know, no matter what, he’s around, you’re going to acknowledge the fact that it’s Novak, and he holds pretty much all the records in tennis. You know, that’s never going to change. But I think that, yeah, I mean, what’s different is there’s been some guys now that are coming up and able to beat him,” said Djokovic.

Fritz further added, “And I still think he’s, you know, when he shows up to the slams, obviously he is playing as good a tennis as, I guess, I haven’t really played him enough, but, you know, I think the level is still as much there as it was before. So, uh, you know, I don’t look at it like, uh, I don’t know. I don’t look at it, I guess, like he’s more vulnerable than before.”

With 24 Grand Slam singles titles, 6 ATP Finals victories, and numerous other records, Djokovic’s legendary status remains unmatched. Fritz is on his attempt to take him down and could have a chance, especially considering Djokovic is still recovering from his last battle.