American Taylor Fritz reaches his 1st Wimbledon semifinal with a 4-set victory
The fifth-seeded Fritz, who was the runner-up at last year's U.S. Open, came in with a 1-4 record in Grand Slam quarterfinals, including 0-2 at Wimbledon. He'll meet either two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain or unseeded Cam Norrie of Britain for a berth in the final.
Fritz powered his way to a big early lead against No. 17 Khachanov, taking 40 of his 47 service points across the initial two sets and never facing a break chance in that span.
But then two-time major semifinalist Khachanov grabbed eight of nine games. It was during that stretch that Fritz took a medical timeout, removing his right shoe and sock so the trainer could retape the foot.
Khachanov broke to begin the fourth set in a game in which Fritz's top serve was 117 mph — 18 mph slower than his fastest of the match to that point. He looked up at his guest box and tapped his racket against his thighs, perhaps indicating he was dealing with fatigue.
From 2-0 down in the fourth, though, Fritz began to regain his strength and touch and was just two points from victory a total of three times while up 5-4 and 6-5. But Khachanov got things to the tiebreaker, where the score was 4-4 before Fritz claimed the final three points.
Fritz finished with 16 aces and reached a top speed of 138 mph by the end.
Khachanov, who never has gone past the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, fell to 0-11 in Grand Slam matches against opponents ranked in the top five.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
23 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Trust in Riddle: Fritz credits girlfriend after Wimbledon win sets up semifinal vs. Alcaraz
LONDON — Morgan knows best, apparently. Taylor Fritz thought the motivational note he wrote to himself after losing at Wimbledon four years ago would stay private. His girlfriend, influencer Morgan Riddle, later shared it on social media. 'That note was never supposed to be public,' a smiling Fritz said after his 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4) win over Karen Khachanov set up a semifinal meeting with two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.
CNN
23 minutes ago
- CNN
American Amanda Anisimova ‘enjoying every step of the way' in run to Wimbledon semifinals
Once Amanda Anisimova secured her first spot in a grand slam semifinal in six years, the American sunk to the court, first to her knees, and then all the way on to the Wimbledon grass, face first. She emerged upright with a smile, and she wrapped her arms around herself, as if she was giving herself a hug. With the 6-1, 7-6(9) win against Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Anisimova reached her second grand slam semifinal of her career. The other came at the French Open in 2019 back when she was 17 and a rising star – even before the emergence of fellow American Coco Gauff. 'It's been an extraordinary year for me,' Anisimova said in her on-court interview after defeating Pavlyuchenkova in Tuesday's quarterfinal round. 'So many highs. It's just been such a ride, and I've been enjoying every step of the way.' Anisimova will next face world No. 1 and three-time grand slam champion Aryna Sabalenka – setting up a big-hitting semifinal clash. Anisimova leads the head-to-head matchups with Sabalenka 5-3, though Sabalenka won their most recent encounter, in the round of 16 at the French Open in June. 'I feel like we always bring the best in each other's game, and we always raise the level when we play against each other,' Anisimova said of Sabalenka. 'But yeah, I mean, I always enjoy the challenge that she brings. I'm sure it's the same vice versa.' This year's Wimbledon run, in ways, is years in the making for the 23-year-old Anisimova – one that might not have been possible had she not taken what she has called a 'necessary' hiatus from the sport. On May 5, 2023, Anisimova announced in an Instagram post that she was taking a break from tennis, saying at the time, 'I've really been struggling with my mental health and burnout since the summer of 2022. It's become unbearable being at tennis tournaments. At this point, my priority is my mental well-being and taking a break for some time.' Anisimova, who returned to the WTA Tour in January 2024, told reporters Tuesday that it hasn't always been smooth sailing since her return to the sport. For starters, there was the task of getting her ranking back up: At the start of 2024, she was No. 442 in the world, coinciding with the extended time off she chose to take. And a year ago, Anisimova wasn't even in the Wimbledon main draw, having lost in the third round of qualifying. But in 2025, it's been clicking for the American, and she's soaring higher than ever. Anisimova, who won her third singles title of her career earlier this year at the WTA 1000 event in Doha, is at a career-high No. 12 in the world. She is guaranteed to be in the top 10 on Monday after Wimbledon. 'I think it was just more of a necessary thing to kind of reset with where I was at in my life and career-wise,' Anisimova told reporters Tuesday of her break. 'It was just something that I needed to do kind of for myself. 'Yeah, I feel like that really served me, definitely. Coming out of that break, it wasn't all upward. There were definitely some ups and downs coming out of it and getting used to the lifestyle and just being an athlete at this level. It's not easy. 'I definitely had to find my way back, really work on the fitness side, and definitely get in my hours of training. Yeah, I mean, it's been a journey. I feel like since last summer, it's really trended upwards for me. I finally found my game and my confidence.' Back in 2019, Anisimova would rise to what was then a career-high No. 21. At that year's French Open, she not only beat Sabalenka, but she also stunned Simona Halep to reach the semifinals, losing to eventual champion Ashleigh Barty. But just months after her breakthrough at Roland Garros, Anisimova suffered from a heartbreaking and shocking loss. Ahead of the US Open, her dad, who was also her coach, was found dead. She withdrew from the tournament – and went on to a mix of highs and lows in terms of results on the court for the next few years. Before announcing her break from tennis in May 2023, Anisimova's last match was an opening-round loss in Madrid in April. She wouldn't return to action until eight months later. During her time away, she took up a new hobby: art. 'I got into art when I was struggling with my mental health, and it was something that I did in my free time just to get my mind off of things,' Anisimova said Friday after the third round. 'Once I was done with my training day or had a day off, it's something I would do. 'I think before that I didn't have any hobbies or interests other than just, like, hanging out with my friends and family, so I wanted to find something that I enjoyed doing on my own. 'I feel like it's just a very good getaway for myself. I enjoy going to museums, as well, especially in different cities, specifically in Europe.' As part of her celebration after reaching the semifinals Tuesday, Anisimova went to the edge of the stands, and picked up her nephew, Jaxon, so he could join her on the court. The pair walked hand-in-hand to Anisimova's on-court interview. 'He flew in this morning, and it's his birthday on Thursday,' Anisimova said of Jaxon, who will be turning 4 years old, in her interview on court. Tuesday's match was the first he had ever seen, Anisimova told reporters. 'I'm just super grateful,' Anisimova said in her on-court interview of her sister, brother-in-law and Jaxon, 'that they flew in and got to experience this with me. It doesn't happen often. It's super special.'
USA Today
29 minutes ago
- USA Today
Boston's Fenway Park is one of the 'best views' in the US, travel website says. See why
Massachusetts is so full of postcard-worthy locations that it can be hard to pin down which one is really the best sight to see. But travel website loveEXPLORING recently attempted it, creating a list of the top 50 best views in each state in the U.S., and a very familiar landmark in Massachusetts made the list. "While your rundown of the best views in America's 50 states may differ, this is where you can bet your bottom dollar we'd be pointing our cameras," LoveExploring said. Here's where loveEXPLORING said is the best view in Massachusetts. Fenway Park LoveExploring chose Fenway Park because they said the baseball stadium is fundamental to the culture and soul of the Commonwealth. More top destinations: These are T+L's best international and US cities (with an unexpected American no. 1) What LoveExploring said about it "A trip to Massachusetts without experiencing the drama and sporting history of Fenway Park – home of the Boston Red Sox– is like leaving onions and condiments off your stadium hot dog – a real swing and a miss." Fenway Park opened on April 20, 1912, according to Major League Baseball. The Red Sox's first official game at the stadium was played that same day, as Boston played against the New York Highlanders, and would go on to win 105 games in the regular season. "The most famous seat in the house is The Red Seat – a lone crimson dot in a sea of green in Section 42 of the right-field bleachers," loveEXPLORING said. "It marks the spot where Ted Williams launched the longest home run in Fenway history on June 9, 1946, a 502-foot blast that punctured a spectator's straw hat." You can visit Fenway Park at 4 Jersey St. in Boston, Massachusetts. Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@
