Novak Djokovic’s Unusual Request at the US Open Leaves Retired American Star Surprised

Novak Djokovic needed a last-minute hitting partner ahead of his US Open quarterfinal clash with Taylor Fritz. His team sent out a few texts, and somehow, the request landed with someone unexpected, Ryan Harrison, now a Sky Sports pundit, not an active tour player. Within hours, the retired American pro was scrambling through the locker room trying to find shoes, shirts, anything that could get him onto Arthur Ashe in one piece.

Harrison, a former world No. 40, hadn’t hit seriously in a while. He’d been in the booth working the tournament when his brother Christian, who regularly hits with Djokovic, got the call but was out of town. “Christian said, ‘I’m out of town,’ and they said, is there anyone else that you know that might be able to hit some balls? And he goes, ‘Well, Ryan is still there if you guys want to get in touch.’” After receiving the text, Harrison quickly tracked down some gear, borrowing Jordan Thompson’s shoes and picking up clothes left behind by Jack Draper, just to be ready. “I went to the locker room attendants and I said, ‘Guys, help me out here,’” he recalled.

Despite being unprepared, Harrison made it work. The warm-up session lasted about 30 to 40 minutes, long enough for Djokovic to invite him back the next day. Marion Bartoli, Harrison’s co-commentator and former Wimbledon champion, praised him, saying he did well to stay with Djokovic. But Harrison admitted it wasn’t easy: “[It was] difficult! I’m not hitting every day anymore. I appreciate you saying that; you must have gotten some good clips in there.”

Now he’s carrying a bit more weight. Djokovic holds a perfect 10–0 record against Fritz, and if that streak ends, Harrison joked, “I could be to blame… I’ll never get the call again.” From the commentary booth to the practice court, it was an unexpected twist for a retired pro who just came to talk tennis and not play it. Anyhow, let’s keep all this away and let’s move forward for the match.

Taylor Fritz faces Novak Djokovic in blockbuster US Open quarterfinal

As the 2025 US Open barrels toward its final stages, all eyes turn to a marquee quarterfinal matchup: No. 4 seed Taylor Fritz will face 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday night. It’s a clash between the top-ranked American and one of tennis’ all-time greats—and it’s shaping up to be one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament.

Fritz, who reached the final at last year’s US Open, has looked sharp throughout the event. He powered past No. 21 seed Tomas Machac in the fourth round in straight sets (6-4, 6-3, 6-3) and has yet to drop a set in the tournament. With several American men falling early, Fritz is now the last U.S. player standing in the draw, carrying the hopes of the home crowd on his shoulders.

Djokovic, seeded No. 7, has been equally dominant. The 38-year-old Serbian star eased past Jan-Lennard Struff with a clinical 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 win. A four-time US Open champion and 10-time finalist, Djokovic is aiming to make history by winning his 25th Grand Slam singles title—the most ever by any player, male or female.

Interestingly, Djokovic holds a 10–0 head-to-head record over Fritz, a fact that has added intrigue and pressure to their upcoming clash. Adding to the narrative, Djokovic recently practiced with former world No. 40 Ryan Harrison, who was pulled from the commentary booth to fill in last minute.

Their quarterfinal is scheduled as the second night match on Ashe, following a women’s match starting at 7 p.m. ET, and will air live on ESPN and stream via ESPN+ and Fubo.