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Novak Djokovic beats Alexander Zverev to set up a confrontation in the semi-final of the French Open with Jannik Sinner in Roland Garros.
A crucial moment has arrived more than two and a half hours in the victory in the quarterfinals of Novak Djokovic against Alexander Zverev. It was the fourth set, and Djokovic led, but Zverev was in possession of a breaking point and a chance to return to the match.
They engaged in an exchange of 41 shots, the longest of a buggy and windy Wednesday evening, and Djokovic came out in the lead, hitting a winner of a forehand. He remained in place thereafter, breathing strongly, with his hands on his hips, scanning the standing ovation of thousands of spectators of Philippe-Chatrier.
Djokovic could be 38 now. He may have gone through a pair of three-game losing discharges this season and slipped into sixth row in the ranking. What has not changed is the determination of Djokovic or his ability to be his best on the big stages – and now he is two victories of a record title of the 25th Grand Slam.
Djokovic proved to be too much for the third seeded Zverev, a man who has a younger decade and was finalist last year in Roland-Garros, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to set up a confrontation in the semi-finals against Jannik Sinner with a series.
Earlier Wednesday, Sinner continued his overwhelming race through the support by rejecting Alexander Bublik 6-1, 7-5, 6-0. The sinner has not only dropped a set so far, but he has sold a total of 36 games with five games.
Friday will therefore bring an enticing force test between the player, many consider the best player in tennis history, Djokovic, and the player who is at the top of the male game at the moment, Sinner. Djokovic and Sinner are equal to 4-4 in their tête-à-tête series, but Sinner has won the last three games.
No one spent more weeks at the number one ranking than Djokovic. No one has won any more major championships or reached more important semi-finals than his total which is now 51 years after having become the second oldest man to go so far in Paris.
Sinner, 23, is a triple Grand Slam champion. This includes the US Open of last year and the Australian Open this year, so its undefeated sequence in Majors is now in 19 games. He also won his last 26 sets during these events.
“He plays quickly. He plays smart,” said Bublik. “It is in another dimension with all aspects of the game.”
