In a marathon first set that culminated in a tiebreaker, Taylor Fritz edged Novak Djokovic in the runner up match of the Six Kings Slam.
❌ Djokovic retires from the match after losing the first set 7-6(4) to Taylor Fritz at the Six Kings Slam pic.twitter.com/q4uPthLEUP
— Olly Tennis 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) October 18, 2025
And then a surprising event happened somewhat out of nowhere, Djokovic retired.
Djokovic has his leg wrapped and at times looked labored in his movement, but other times he looked like his typical self.
Nevertheless, Fritz gets his first ever win over Djokovic in his 12th try.
Fritz never won a tiebreaker off Djokovic.
Six Kings Slam head-t0-head results do not count in the ATP’s official statistics, but it is still a huge win for Fritz.
Fritz’s win over Djokovic in Six Kings Slam doesn’t count on the official head-to-head
😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/QRNga8z60C
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 18, 2025
Fritz avenges two lopsided rivalries in 2025, winning against Carlos Alcaraz for the first time in five tries at Laver Cup and Djokovic in the 12th try at the Six Kings Slam.
Long Rallies, A Physical Set
It was very physical and playing long rallies that were physically depleting. The slow conditions allowed for long rallies with both players canvassing all corners of the court.
Fritz was the consummate professional saying that “it is always a pleasure to share the court with the greatest players of all time.”
He declined to predict who will win the next match between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
Fritz admitted that he didn’t have the answers on Thursday in his match against Alcaraz and will watch to see if Sinner does.
Though it was a surprising ending, it was high quality play with strong aggression.
What’s Next For Djokovic And Fritz?
Djokovic said that he needs to address his physical issues but hoped to play more matches this season.
Novak Djokovic plans to “address the physical issues he’s been having and hopefully playing the last couple of tournaments of the season” is what he said in the on-court interview when asked what his plans are for the rest of the year.
That means he plans to play in Turin..maybe
— Vansh (@vanshv2k) October 18, 2025
Fritz is hoping to finish the season strong with more tournaments before the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.
Both players have dealt with a long season and injuries at various points.
