Novak is through to the semi-finals at Roland Garros for the 13th time!
Sixth seed Novak Djokovic defeated no.3 seed Alexander Zverev in four sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, in a quarter-final clash that lasted three hours and 17 minutes.
Even though he lost the first set, Novak came back strong and turned the match around to earn a spot in the final four. He served well throughout the match and was especially impressive at the net, using drop shots to win key points at crucial moments.
The first set was very balanced, with both players playing solid tennis. Djokovic lost his serve in the opening game, which turned out to be the difference in that set. After that, he held his own serve but couldn’t break back, missing his only break point in the eighth game. Zverev held on and took the set 6-4 after 49 minutes.
In the second set, Novak stepped up. He broke Zverev in the fourth game and went up 3-1. The next game was a tough one, lasting over 10 minutes, but the Belgrade native held serve for 4-1. He missed a chance for another break, but the one he had was enough – he won the set 6-3 to level the contest.
Novak played his best tennis in the third set, totally controlling the game. He broke his opponent twice to grab the set and the lead, 6-2.
In the fourth set, Novak got an early break again, which proved to be the key moment. In the sixth game, he saved a break point after a spectacular 41-shot rally – the longest point of the match – and kept his lead at 4-2. From there, he stayed solid and closed out the match, recording his 101st triumph at Roland Garros.
“Especially during the last game, my tactic was just to play drop shots,” said Djokovic. “So I played three or four in a row… Maybe you can’t see it on TV, but there is a lot of wind from one side, so it gives the sensation that you must hit twice as hard. It was important to vary the game. Evidently there was a lot of pressure at the end, Zverev has been one of the best players in the world over the past six years. Matches like this tonight are the reason why I still want to play and compete.”
Novak will face top seed, Jannik Sinner, on Friday at 19:00 CET (4-4 H2H record).
The Italian beat Alexander Bublik in straight sets (6-1, 7-5, 6-0) to reach his second French Open semis.
Photo: AP
