Novak Djokovic is hoping to be the US Open's disruptor after setting up a semi-final blockbuster against Carlos Alcaraz.
Djokovic overcame Taylor Fritz and a rowdy New York crowd on Tuesday night, quelling the American’s fightback to keep alive his chances of a 25th grand slam title.
Fritz had hoped to finally secure a first victory over Djokovic at the 11th time of asking but the majority of the big moments went the way of the Serbian, who triumphed 6-3 7-5 3-6 6-4 after three hours and 24 minutes.
That earned Djokovic a date with Alcaraz on Friday night as he bids to break through the semi-final barrier for the first time at a grand slam this season and prevent a third major final in a row between the Spaniard and Jannik Sinner.
"We don’t need to spend words about the two of them," said Djokovic. "We know that they are the two best players in the world.
"Everybody is probably expecting and anticipating the finals between the two of them. I’m going to try to mess up the plans of most of the people."
The 38-year-old pointedly stressed that a key question mark will be over his fitness.
Djokovic stretched out his neck and shoulders towards the end of his victory over Fritz and must hope his body does not let him down again, as it did at the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year.
Fritz reached his first slam final in New York last year, losing to Sinner, and a packed crowd in the vast Arthur Ashe Stadium tried to inspire him to break his Djokovic curse.
Djokovic was bothered on numerous occasions by noise from the fans while he was serving, putting his finger to his lips and blowing ironic kisses after winning the second set.
In the third he remonstrated with umpire Damien Dumusois and Fritz threatened to take the contest to a fifth set, but ultimately Djokovic had the answers.
"I didn’t feel my shots as well as I have a few days ago," added the Serbian. "It’s one of those days where you just have to grind. You just have to play with your heart and fight. That’s what really gave me the win in the end."
Djokovic made a strong start and Fritz did not find a way into the match until his opponent served for the first set, with the American unable to take any of five break points.
It was to become a recurring theme. More chances came and went in the second set before Djokovic broke to lead 4-3 only for Fritz to finally convert at the 11th time of asking and level at 5-5.
The fourth seed then played his worst game of the match to immediately hand back the advantage, with Djokovic moving into a two-set lead.
Noise from fans between Djokovic’s first and second serve came to a head in the fourth game of the third set and it rattled the Serbian, who was broken for the second time.
Fritz had the home fans believing he could turn things around as he took the match to a fourth set but Djokovic seized his opportunity in the 10th game.
Fritz bravely saved two match points and had a point for 5-5 but instead Djokovic created a third chance and the American double-faulted.
The win means 38-year-old Djokovic, who did a celebratory dance as an eighth birthday present to his daughter Tara back home, has tied Jimmy Connors’s record by reaching a 14th semi-final here, also becoming the oldest man through to this stage since the American in 1991.
Alcaraz continued his march through the draw with a 6-4 6-2 6-4 victory over 20th seed Jiri Lehecka on Arthur Ashe.
Thee 22-year-old, who is yet to lose a set at Flushing Meadows this year, needed only an hour and 56 minutes to advance.
A relaxed Alcaraz is planning a trip to the golf course with former Masters champion Sergio Garcia, who was watching from the stands on Arthur Ashe Stadium, having withdrawn from this weekend's Amgen Irish Open after missing out on inclusion in Team Europe's Ryder Cup team.
Asked how many shots Garcia will need to give him, Alcaraz said: We will discuss tomorrow but he has to give me between 10 and 15 shots I think. It's going to be great. I'm not that good."
Alcaraz is seen as not as consistent as his big rival Jannik Sinner but that reputation is beginning to look decidedly outdated considering the Spaniard has not lost before the final of any event since Miami in March.
His shock second-round defeat here 12 months ago, meanwhile, is the only time in his last 12 grand slam appearances that he has failed to reach at least the quarter-finals.
Lehecka can claim a win over Alcaraz this season, in Doha in February, while he also pushed the 22-year-old in the final at Queen's Club, so there was reason to believe this might be a real test.
But the Czech's big serve and hard, flat groundstrokes were no match for the ingenuity and X factor possessed by Alcaraz, who even impressed himself with a forehand winner thumped down the line from the backhand corner to win the second game.
By that point he was already a break up, and it was all Lehecka could do to try to stay within touching distance.
The Czech did not manage to force a break point in the match, and an early break of his own serve to start the second set was exactly what he could not afford.
Any glimpse Lehecka had was inevitably snuffed out with a bit of Alcaraz magic, such as the lunging drop volley at 15-30 in the sixth game of the second set, the five-time grand slam champion putting his finger to his ear as he soaked up the cheers.
Lehecka did at least manage to hold serve in the third set until the ninth game, when more brilliant Alcaraz defence helped him to another break, the Spaniard roaring in celebration.
