Paris, Jun 3 (EFE).- Less than 48 hours after defeating Italian Lorenzo Musetti in a marathon match that finished at dawn, world no. 1 Novak Djokovic once again proved he could overcome the odds when he defeated Argentine Francisco Cerundolo to advance to his 10th quarterfinal at Roland Garros on Monday.
Alex de Minaur of Australia (R) shakes hands with Daniil Medvedev of Russia (L) after winning their men’s singles Round of 16 match at the French Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 03 June 2024. EFE-EPA/TERESA SUAREZ
The Serb’s right knee issue caused him to be physically weak for a set and a half during the course of the game, which, according to him, put his ability to continue in the competition in doubt.
Alexander Zverev of Germany in action during his men’s singles Round of 16 match against Holger Rune of Denmark at the French Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 03 June 2024. EFE-EPA/YOAN VALAT
World no. 4 Alexander Zverev will play against Australia’s Alex de Minaur, who shocked Russian fifth seed Daniil Medvedev, in the quarterfinals after overcoming yet another five-set contest.
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action during her women’s singles Round of 16 match against Emma Navarro of USA at the French Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 03 June 2024. EFE-EPA/MOHAMMED BADRA
In the women’s draw, world no. 2 Aryna Sabalenka set up a quarterfinal match against 17-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva, while world no. 4 Elina Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, will face Italian Jasmine Paolini.
Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan celebrates winning her women’s singles Round of 16 match against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine at the French Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 03 June 2024. EFE-EPA/MOHAMMED BADRA
Djokovic attracted attention because, in less than 48 hours, he played 10 Grand Slam sets and spent nine hours on the court.
Mirra Andreeva of Russia in action during her women’s singles Round of 16 match against Varvara Gracheva of France at the French Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 03 June 2024. EFE-EPA/TERESA SUAREZ
Djokovic, who played 10 Grand Slam sets and spent nine hours on the court in less than 48 hours, defeated Cerundolo 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 in his longest match at Roland Garros.
Jasmine Paolini of Italy celebrates winning her women’s singles Round of 16 match against Elina Avanesyan of Russia at the French Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 03 June 2024. EFE-EPA/TERESA SUAREZ
He now has 370 victories in four majors, one more than Swiss Roger Federer, and 56 more than Rafael Nadal.
On Wednesday, he will play his 59th Grand Slam quarterfinal, one more than Federer and 12 more than Nadal.
He, however, has to undergo medical tests to determine if he can play in the quarterfinal match against Norwegian Casper Ruud, who beat American Taylor Fritz 7-6 (8), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
«At one point, I didn’t know if I should continue, I don’t know what will happen tomorrow,» Djokovic said after the match.
His match against Ruud will be a repeat of last year’s final, but this time between a physically weakened Djokovic, who has not won any titles this season.
Ruud, on the other hand, arrived in Paris with the best results on the circuit, 39 victories, five finals, and 21 wins on clay courts, including the Barcelona and Geneva tournaments.
Zverev also faced difficulty for the second consecutive round when he had to battle five sets to defeat Danish Holger Rune and reach the quarterfinals in Paris for the fourth consecutive time.
The German, the only tennis player who has played in the last three semifinals at Roland Garros, will face De Minaur, who qualified for the quarterfinals for the first time in Paris at the expense of Medvedev.
His 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 win made him the first Australian to reach the quarterfinals in the French capital since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004.
In the women’s draw, Sabalenka advanced to the quarterfinals without losing a set, after defeating American Emma Navarro 6-2, 6-3.
In the last eight, Andreeva defeated French Varvara Gracheva 7-5, 6-2 to become the second youngest tennis player to reach the quarterfinals in a Grand Slam, just behind Bulgarian Sesil Karatantcheva.
World no. 2 Rybakia has reached the quarterfinals, the second in her career, in Paris, without losing a set.
She showed an astonishing level on clay on her way to the 6-3, 6-4 win against Ukrainian Elina Svitolina.
The 2022 Wimbledon winner will compete for a place in the semifinals against Italian Jasmine Paolini, who until now had never had two wins in a Grand Slam.
The transalpine defeated Russian Elina Avanesyan, 4-6, 6-0, 6-1. EFE
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