World number one Novak Djokovic has stayed on course for a sixth Paris Masters title with a commanding 6-4 6-3 win over American Taylor Fritz to reach the semifinals of the ATP Masters 1000 event.
The Serb will meet Polish seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz in the last four on Saturday.
Djokovic and Fritz traded fierce ground strokes in the first set before the 20-times major winner broke serve at 3-4. Fritz broke back immediately but Djokovic's supremacy from the back of the court finally told as he clinched the opener in 38 minutes.
The pair again exchanged service breaks at the start of the second before Fritz blew a chance at 1-1 with Djokovic down 15-40. The Serb seized control after overcoming that minor blip, winning 12 of 14 points from 2-2 to register his fifth straight win over the 24-year-old American.
"I did have ups and downs. I am not really pleased with the way I closed out the sets," said Djokovic, who lost to Russian Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final at Flushing Meadows.
"I lost my serve to love (at 1-1), then (at) 5-3, again, I served for it with new balls and lost to love again. Those things shouldn't happen."
Victory in Paris will give the 34-year-old a record 37th ATP Masters 1000 title, one more than Spaniard Rafa Nadal.