 "'It’s not gonna help, Novak': Djokovic silences hostile US Open crowd after umpire’s blunt response")
24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic moved into yet another US Open semifinal after his quarterfinal win over America’s Taylor Fritz. The match was filled with drama as the 38-year-old Serbian star had tense exchanges with the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, who were backing their home favourite throughout.
Djokovic silences hostile crowd
Djokovic blew kisses to the hostile crowd and even asked for silence after taking points in the second set. The atmosphere got even more heated in the third set when chants of “let’s go Taylor” echoed across the stadium. Djokovic then stormed over to the umpire to complain, but only got a blunt response: “It’s not gonna help, Novak."
Novak gets the second set and sends a message 😤 pic.twitter.com/o2paAZ9Hnz
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 3, 2025
Despite the hostile atmosphere, Djokovic showed his trademark resilience. He saved 10 of the first 11 break points he faced and used his experience to frustrate the American at key moments. Fritz refused to give up, saving two match points late in the fourth set, but a costly double fault on the third handed Djokovic a 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory.
The win extended Djokovic’s perfect record against Fritz to 11-0 and sent him into the US Open semifinals for the 14th time in his career. After the match, Djokovic praised Fritz’s effort, saying, “It was really anybody’s match. … For most of the second and third sets, he was the better player. That last game was nerve-wracking.”
“In the end of the day, a win matters. I’m really proud of the fight that I put in. I wear my heart on my sleeve, always, for this sport. So I’m still enjoying it,” Djokovic added.
Djokovic to face Alcaraz in semifinal
Djokovic will now face five-time major champion Carlos Alcaraz in a blockbuster semi-final on Friday, September 5. Djokovic holds a 5-3 lead over Alcaraz in their head-to-head, having beaten the Spaniard in their last two meetings, the Australian Open quarterfinals earlier this year and the Paris Olympics final in 2024, where Djokovic clinched his first Olympic gold medal.
However, the Serbian is still in hunt of a record 25th Grand Slam title and will aim to achieve the feat at the 2025 US Open.
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