Taylor Fritz Advances to First Wimbledon Semi-Final After Hard-Fought Victory
Taylor Fritz overcame a mid-match slump and a determined comeback from Karen Khachanov, along with another malfunction in the electronic line-calling system, to win 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4) on Monday and secure his first Wimbledon semi-final.
The American dominated the first two sets with strong serving, not conceding a single break point, before his level dropped in the third, allowing Khachanov back into the match. After falling behind early in the fourth set, the fifth-seeded Fritz regained his composure and delivered a nearly flawless tie-break to set up a semi-final against either defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or Britain’s Cameron Norrie.
"It’s an incredible feeling," said Fritz, who fired 16 aces. "After losing two five-set quarter-finals here before, I couldn’t have handled another. I’m thrilled to finally make the semi-finals. The match was going perfectly for two sets, then suddenly turned—I’m proud of how I fought back in the fourth and closed it out. If it had gone to a fifth, momentum might not have been on my side."
The fourth set saw another issue with the electronic line-calling system when Khachanov’s forehand, landing well inside the baseline, was incorrectly called out. The umpire, Louise Azemar-Engzell, halted play to reset the system, and the point was replayed. Though both players remained composed, Khachanov eventually broke serve to take the lead.
Fritz responded by breaking back for 2-2, and from there, the intensity rose as both players produced high-quality tennis. Khachanov saved break points at 5-5 with a stunning volley, but Fritz held firm on serve and controlled the tie-break, sealing it with a powerful smash.
Four years ago, after a third-round loss at Wimbledon, Fritz vented his frustration in a private message to his girlfriend, writing: "Nobody underachieves more than you. You’re too good to be ranked 40th—get it together." Now, he sits in the top five, reached his first major final at last year’s US Open, and is one win away from his first Wimbledon final.
"Back then, my ranking was falling," he said. "I was recovering from surgery and not playing to my potential. That note was never meant to be seen—it was just me expressing my frustration. But I’m proud of how far I’ve come since then. The hard work is paying off."
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