Taylor Fritz, the top-ranked American player, sailed through his first four rounds at the US Open without encountering much resistance. He played 50 service games, held his serve 49 times, and didn't drop a single set. It's safe to say that the 25-year-old was in scintillating form.

However, on Tuesday, his journey led him to a quarterfinal clash with 23-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic at Flushing Meadows. It turned out to be a formidable challenge for Fritz. On a sweltering afternoon inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, Djokovic swiftly established his dominance, securing a commanding 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 victory over the Southern California native. This win extended Djokovic's unbeaten record in US Open quarterfinals to 13-0 and pushed him past Roger Federer on the all-time list for Grand Slam semifinal appearances with 47.

Djokovic expressed his gratitude to the crowd, saying, "I was very lucky to encounter some very knowledgeable, very passionate people that supported me, believed in my talent, and without them, without their support–my parents are here–I wouldn't be here. That's the long answer of what goes through my head when I hear these numbers–there are a lot of things that I'm very grateful for. Obviously, it's a huge opportunity every single time I step out on the court at this age and this stage of my life; I don't know how many more opportunities I'll get, so I'm trying to enjoy as much as I can."

Djokovic, who now boasts an 8-0 lifetime record against Fritz, took control of the match from the outset and maintained his dominance throughout, securing his 359th Grand Slam singles victory. He has set up a semifinal clash with either the tenth-seeded Frances Tiafoe or Ben Shelton. The match between Shelton and Tiafoe is scheduled for Tuesday night in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Djokovic shared his anticipation for the upcoming match, saying, "One thing is for sure, I'm going to be enjoying that match from my sofa, with my physiotherapy and massage and popcorn and a nice drink. Obviously, I'm going to be playing another American. I have to be ready for whatever is going to come my way from the opposite side of the net; both Tiafoe and Shelton are very charismatic and very dynamic players. They bring a lot of passion and a lot of energy, a lot of speed and strength on court–it's going to be great to watch them, and let's see what happens on Friday."

Fritz, who had been virtually untouchable in the first four rounds, faced a stark change in fortunes against the world's best returner. Djokovic quickly broke Fritz's serve three times and surged to a 5-1 lead in the first set in just 28 minutes. Despite some early struggles with heat and serving issues, Djokovic displayed remarkable resilience, managing his stress and conserving energy while continually applying pressure during Fritz's service games.

Djokovic wrapped up the opening set in 43 minutes and secured another break to take a 2-1 lead in the second set. Despite Fritz's hard-hitting style, Djokovic held firm and maintained control, eventually closing out the second set.

The third set presented a missed opportunity for Fritz, who hit more winners than Djokovic and earned multiple break points but only managed to convert one. Djokovic, as he so often does, excelled in crucial moments, solidifying his victory in two hours and 35 minutes.

Once again, Djokovic demonstrated his ability to excel under pressure and added another remarkable chapter to his legacy at the US Open.