"I can't fault Novak Djokovic for that" - Taylor Fritz on Serb counting on his experience against American in Australian Open QF

Taylor Fritz does not mind Novak Djokovic being confident of beating him at the 2024 Australian Open. Both the players are through to the quarterfinals of the Melbourne Major, where they will face each other.

On Sunday, January 21, Djokovic earned an emphatic 6-0, 6-0, 6-3 win over Adrian Mannarino in the fourth round to book his place in the last eight. The American, meanwhile, outclassed last year’s finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 to advance.

In his press conference, the Serb, who was stretched to four sets in his first two matches, noted that the win was his best so far in terms of the tennis played and how he felt on the court. He also said that while his next matches were likely to be tougher, he was optimistic about the outcome, given his experience and his on-point recovery.

"There's no easy matches, no doubt. But experience of knowing what I need to do with my own body, with my training, with the maintaining of the kind of level, tennis-related specifics that I need to work on and also recovery has been on point," Novak Djokovic said.

Fritz, meanwhile, was informed about the Serb being confident about banking on his current momentum in their quarterfinal. In response, the American, who has lost all eight of their previous meetings, said in his post-match press conference:

“I mean, if I beat someone eight times in a row, I'd be pretty confident playing them, too, I'd have to say. I can't really fault him for that.”

On his part, Taylor Fritz added that he would be raising his level against Novak Djokovic this time around.

“I think that I have a lot more level to bring than I've previously brought against him. Hopefully I can play another match like today,” he said.

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Novak Djokovic's next opponent Taylor Fritz on his first top-10 win at Australian Open: "It feels extra earned"

Novak Djokovic last defeated Taylor Fritz in the 2023 US Open quarterfinal

Taylor Fritz, who is into his first Australian Open quarterfinal, scored his maiden win over a top-10 player at a Grand Slam when he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the fourth round. The American recently dropped out of the world’s top 10 but is now placed in the ninth position in the live rankings.

Speaking about his breakthrough, the American said he felt the win was “extra earned.”

“I'm happy obviously. My other two quarterfinals (2022 Wimbledon, 2023 US Open) came to me with I was seeded higher and draws opened up a bit. So it feels extra earned this week. I feel like I really had to play a super high level today,” he said in the same press conference.

“There's a lot of really good players. I dropped outside of the top 10 I think this week or last week, so it feels really good to kind of earn my spot back like almost immediately,” he added, acknowledging the intensity of the field.

Taylor Fritz will now look to earn his second top-10 win at a Grand Slam when he faces ten-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic on Wednesday. The American is hoping to reach his maiden Grand Slam semifinal at the tournament.