PARIS — Novak Djokovic‘s French Open title protection — and his maintain on No. 1 within the rankings — are nonetheless alive due to a 7-5, 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 comeback victory over 22-year-old Italian Lorenzo Musetti in a third-round match that lasted 4½ hours and didn’t conclude till Sunday after 3 a.m., the newest end in match historical past.
It’s Djokovic’s 369th win at a Grand Slam match, tying Roger Federer for essentially the most in tennis historical past.
Djokovic briefly appeared as if he is perhaps in hassle towards Musetti however as an alternative ran away with the ultimate set and now will proceed his bid for a file twenty fifth Grand Slam title and fourth at Roland Garros.
Gasping for break whereas leaning over with arms on knees, or taking a lot time between factors that he earned a warning, the 37-year-old Djokovic seemed to be exhausted at instances towards his a lot youthful, backward-hat-wearing opponent. Musetti was propelled to the lead by a one-handed backhand, a deft contact on the internet and a 5-for-5 success charge on break possibilities.
However Djokovic is nothing if not a decided problem-solver. And as soon as Djokovic received headed in the suitable path within the fourth set, due to enjoying extra aggressively on service returns and nearer to the baseline throughout groundstrokes exchanges, the Thirtieth-ranked Musetti couldn’t face up to the cost.
One telling stat: Djokovic improved to 39-11 in fifth units over his profession; Musetti fell to 2-6.
Djokovic has spent extra weeks atop the ATP rankings than anybody, but when he fails to return to the ultimate on the French Open, he’ll cede that spot to Musetti’s countryman, present No. 2 Jannik Sinner.
That is as a result of a loss on this match would have been the newest in a sequence of disappointing ends in 2024 for the oft-dominant Djokovic, who received 12 of the final 20 Grand Slam occasions he entered and hasn’t been crushed this early at a significant for the reason that Australian Open in January 2017.
Not solely hasn’t he earned a trophy at any match this season, however he hasn’t even reached a last.
That is why, per week in the past, Djokovic assessed his mindset when arriving in Paris with a 14-6 file this 12 months: “Low expectations and excessive hopes.”
These phrases additionally may need described Djokovic’s ideas coming into the fourth set towards Musetti, who by no means has been previous the fourth spherical at any Slam.
The bundled-up spectators ceaselessly chanted Djokovic’s first identify, or his two-syllable nickname, “No-le.” Musetti heard loads of help in Court docket Philippe Chatrier, too. The sound reverberated off the underside of the retractable roof, which was closed due to showers that arrived earlier Saturday, the fifth day in a row with rain.
That climate was partially answerable for Djokovic and Musetti not setting foot on courtroom till 10:30 p.m., greater than two hours later than initially deliberate. Event organizers moved a further contest into the safe-from-rain primary stadium forward of Djokovic-Musetti to strive and ensure the third spherical would get accomplished on time.
This was a rematch from the 2021 French Open, when Musetti was simply 19 — and making his Grand Slam debut — and took the primary two units off Djokovic, each in tiebreakers. However Djokovic didn’t go away, grabbing the subsequent two units, and Musetti finally retired from the match due to decrease again ache and cramps whereas trailing 4-0 within the fifth.
As soon as once more, Musetti took the lead earlier than succumbing towards Djokovic.
This time, Djokovic was really some extent from taking a two-set lead whereas forward 6-5 within the second-set tiebreaker. However he despatched up a so-so lob that changed into an overhead winner by Musetti, erasing that chance for Djokovic. Then Djokovic missed a forehand huge to offer Musetti his first crack at a set level, which was transformed with a volley winner.
On the ensuing changeover, Djokovic received right into a back-and-forth with chair umpire Adel Nour over whether or not the clay courtroom ought to be cleaned extra ceaselessly.
“So it is downside to comb the courtroom each 5 video games?” Djokovic requested. “I ask you to comb the courtroom, as a result of there’s a lot clay. I do not know why it is asking a lot at 1 a.m. after ready 20 hours to play.”
He would drop the subsequent set, too.
Musetti needed to know Djokovic wouldn’t go quietly. Absolutely, the bundled-up and vocal followers did, too.
Immediately, Djokovic broke to 3-2 within the fourth set. He shook a fist and, as he sat in his sideline chair, motioned to followers for extra noise. They obliged.
An identical scene performed out as that set ended, with Djokovic making a future to achieve a ball and get it again over the web at an unimaginable angle. He windmilled his arms after which pointed to his ear.
Quickly, he was the winner, roaring on the courtroom whereas his spouse jumped and shouted within the stands.
Earlier Saturday, fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev rallied from 4-1 down within the fifth set to beat Twenty sixth-seeded Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (3) and advance to the fourth spherical on the French Open.
Zverev, who received the Italian Open final month, has reached the semifinals on the previous three French Opens and averted his earliest exit at Roland Garros since shedding within the first spherical in 2017.
Zverev’s trial in Germany for allegedly inflicting bodily hurt to a girl started on Friday. The prosecution accuses Zverev of pushing his ex-partner towards a wall and choking her throughout an argument in Berlin in Could 2020.
Griekspoor fell in need of reaching the fourth spherical of a significant match for the primary time and his file towards top-five gamers dropped to 0-11.
In different males’s third-round play, former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev received 7-6 (4), 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 towards Tomas Machac and Twenty first-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime beat No.15-seeded American Ben Shelton 6-4, 6-2, 6-1.
Their match was halted by rain on Friday evening. Shelton was bothered by a left shoulder concern and had it labored on by a coach.
“Taking part in a set final evening with soaked balls, muddy balls, it form of simply, I suppose, aggravated my shoulder somewhat bit,” Shelton mentioned. “However I went on the market and did what I may at this time and gave 100%.”
His exit was adopted a number of hours later by that of one other American, No. 14 Tommy Paul, who was crushed by No. 23 Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2. That left one U.S. man left within the bracket: No. 12 Taylor Fritz, who outlasted unseeded Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (4), 5-7, 6-3 at evening to earn a debut look within the fourth spherical in Paris.
Fritz, who has been to the quarterfinals at every of the opposite three majors, is the primary participant from his nation to achieve the boys’s spherical of 16 at Roland Garros since 2020.
It was clear throughout the restart of Shelton’s match that he was not capable of produce his common high-powered serves — even earlier than his left shoulder was massaged by a coach. Auger-Aliassime, a Canadian who received to the U.S. Open semifinals in 2021, claimed Saturday’s preliminary 5 video games to shut out the opening set and lead 4-0 within the subsequent.
“I felt like my intentions have been clear, and my execution was proper, and I used to be capable of do what I needed to do,” mentioned Auger-Aliassime, who now performs No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, “and on the identical time, get free factors from his aspect and capable of return his serve fairly nicely.”
For the fifth consecutive day, rain interrupted play. Shortly earlier than 1 p.m. rain got here once more with a cold wind and the temperature dropped to an unappealing 14 levels (57 F).
Medvedev wore leg heaters throughout his first set towards Machac, who beat Djokovic final week within the Geneva Open semifinals, then eliminated them for the second set.
There was an uncommon second late within the match when chair umpire Damien Dumusois collected a pigeon that fell onto the courtroom.
The Related Press contributed to this story.
