New York (AFP) - Taylor Fritz and Emma Navarro reached their first Grand Slam semi-finals at the US Open on Tuesday, boosting home hopes of a double American title party this weekend.

The 12th-seeded Fritz won a big-hitting battle against fourth-seeded 2020 runner-up Alexander Zverev of Germany 7-6 (⁷⁄₂), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (⁷⁄₃).

He will face either American compatriot Frances Tiafoe or Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria for a place in Sunday’s final.

Navarro, playing in front of her home New York crowd, also broke through to a maiden Slam semi-final by defeating Paula Badosa of Spain 6-2, 7-5 after trailing 5-1 in the second set.

The 13th seed will tackle second-ranked Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka who demolished China’s Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen 6-1, 6-2 for a spot in Saturday’s championship match.

Zverev’s defeat means world number one Jannik Sinner is the only top-four player left in the men’s draw following the shock early exits of Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.

“I have had a few looks at Grand Slam quarter-finals over the years so I felt it was my turn to take a step further,” said the 26-year-old Fritz who cracked 12 aces amongst his 45 winners.

“It’s cool I’m in the semis. But I very much have the mindset of the job’s not done.”

On Tuesday, Fritz saw three set points come and go in the opener before sweeping through the tie-break.

Zverev, bidding to reach a ninth semi-final at the majors, levelled the tie but Fritz dug deep, converting a fifth set point in the third.

Zverev saved two break points in the sixth game of the fourth but once Fritz won a lung-busting 24-shot rally in the tie-breaker, he had the victory momentum.

“Terrible. Just absolutely terrible by me,” said Zverev. “I did nothing to deserve the win, simple as that.”

- ‘Complete disaster’ -

Navarro insisted she always believed she could claw her way back from her second set deficit against the New York-born Badosa.

“When I got to 5-2, I had an inkling that I’d win in two sets,” said Navarro who had lost in the first round on her only other two appearances at the tournament.

“I was a complete disaster today,” admitted Badosa after committing 35 unforced errors.

Zheng was bidding to become the third Chinese woman to reach the US Open semi-finals after Li Na in 2013 and Peng Shuai in 2014.

However, she was completely outplayed by Sabalenka in a 73-minute loss in which he hit just nine winners.

Zheng said the record late finish to her last-16 clash which finished at 2:15 a.m. on Monday had impacted her performance.

She said only went to bed at 5:00 a.m.

“I couldn’t sleep after I finished the match 2:30 in morning. I’m not able to practice yesterday because I was feeling terrible. I couldn’t wake up,” said Zheng.

The 26-year-old Sabalenka, runner-up to Coco Gauff in New York last year, will be playing in her fourth successive US Open semi-final and ninth at the Slams.

Sabalenka also defeated Zheng at the same stage of the US Open in 2023 before going on to beat the 21-year-old again in the Australian Open final in January.

“It was important that I got the early break, that was an advantage because it’s tough to face her,” said Sabalenka.

- Roddick legacy -

Tiafoe and Fritz were only five when Andy Roddick won the 2003 US Open final, a victory achieved on the cusp of the sport’s domination by the ‘Big Three’ of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic.

That was the last time an American man lifted a Grand Slam singles trophy.

However, with Federer long retired, Nadal injured and Djokovic, as well as modern-day superstar Carlos Alcaraz, knocked out early this year, the final Grand Slam of the season is wide open.

World number 20 Tiafoe is in the quarter-finals for the third successive year having made the semi-finals in 2022 where he lost in five sets to eventual champion Alcaraz.

On Tuesday, under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights, the 26-year-old takes on Dimitrov who at 33 is the oldest man left in the draw.

The Bulgarian is seeking a second semi-final spot in New York after making the last four in 2019.