Novak Djokovic smashed Taylor Fritz while Carlos Alcaraz battled back from a set down as the top-placed pair reached the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open.
It took Djokovic just 61 minutes to beat American Fritz 6-0, 6-4, and he will play next Alexander Zverev.
World No. 1 Alcaraz defeated Max Purcell 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to set up a semi-final match with Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz.
The pair are on their way to meeting up in their rematch last month Wimbledon final won by Alcaraz.
Second seed Djokovic is playing in his first tournament on US soil since 2021 after missing last year’s US Open and other tournaments due to his COVID-19 vaccination.
He will bid for his 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open, which kicks off Aug. 28.
The Serb dominated the first set against home favorite and ninth seed Fritz and despite trailing 4-2 in the second set, managed to win four straight matches and seal the win.
“I just managed to get off the blocks really hard, and played an almost perfect, flawless first set,” Djokovic said.
“Then I started really bad in the second and gave him the break, but from being 2-4 down I really played four solid games in the second. Just overall a great performance.”
Meanwhile, Alcaraz was taken to the third set for the third consecutive match by Australian qualifier Purcell.
“It was really tough,” said Alcaraz, who will defend his US Open title later this month.
“I came back really well on the court and that was the key to getting the win today, coming back really well and being focused.”
Elsewhere, Alcaraz’s opponent in the semi-finals Hurkaczranked 20th in the world, beat the Australian Alexey Bobrin 6-1 7-6 (8-6).
The Pole was narrowly defeated 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-3) by Alcaraz in the Canadian Open last week, before the Spaniard was eliminated from the tournament by losing the quarter-finals to American Tommy Paul.
Germany Zverevfrom He won the Hamburg Open Last month, he will face Djokovic in another semi-final on Saturday after the 16th seed cruised to a 6-2 6-3 win over the Frenchman. Adrian Mannarino.