Fritz beats Auger-Aliassime, faces Djokovic in final four of ATP Finals

Taylor Fritz will face five-time champion Novak Djokovic after beating Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), and 6-2 in the ATP Finals

Taylor Fritz advanced to the final four of the ATP Finals by beating Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), and 6-2 at the year-end tournament.

The American will face five-time champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.

The match went with serve until the final set when Fritz broke twice in the final three games, either side of holding to love, sealing his spot in the next round on the first of two match points as fellow tournament debutant Auger-Aliassime sent a backhand wide.

Prior to the sixth game of the final set, the only other breakpoints had come in the second game of the second set when Fritz had to stave off three of them against his Canadian opponent.

Casper Ruud had already booked his place in the semifinals but he lost 7-5, 7-5 to the already eliminated Rafael Nadal to leave the Norwegian 0-8 against top-three players.

The top-seeded Nadal had lost his first two matches in the tournament and avoided equaling his career-worst streak of five straight defeats.

“I have been practicing well,” Nadal said.