Wimbledon 2025 results: Taylor Fritz beats Karen Khachanov to reach semi-finals
Fritz recovers to reach first Wimbledon semi-final
Image source, Getty Images
Taylor Fritz is looking to go one better than his run to the final of last year’s US Open
Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist at Wimbledon
American Taylor Fritz overcame an unexpected third-set capitulation to beat Karen Khachanov and reach the semi-finals of Wimbledon for a first time.
The fifth seed had looked on course to wrap up the match in straight sets, with his big serving key to a two-set lead.
But things suddenly fell apart for Fritz in the third as he struggled to land his first serve while sending more shots beyond the baseline as Khachanov, 29, took it 6-1.
The 27-year-old then had a medical timeout to address some taping on his foot as he looked to avoid being taken to five sets for the third time in five matches at Wimbledon.
There was a bizarre incident at the start of the fourth set when a malfunction by the electronic line call system meant ‘fault’ was called during play, and the point was replayed.
But it didn’t impact Fritz’s return to form as he dug deep to come out on top of a tie-break and progress with a 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-6 (7-4) victory over the Russian.
“I’m feeling great to get through it,” he said in his on-court interview.
“The match was going so well for me for two sets. I’ve never had a match really just flip so quickly, so I’m really happy with how I came back in the fourth set and got it done.
“I felt I couldn’t miss and then all of sudden I’m making a ton of mistakes. Momentum was definitely not going to be on my side going into a fifth.”
World number five Fritz is looking to end his country’s long wait for a male Grand Slam winner, with Andy Roddick the last to achieve it with a 2003 US Open success.
But Fritz will face another tough test in the last four in the shape of either defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and Britain’s Cameron Norrie.
