Novak Djokovic’s French Open quarterfinal against Alexander Zverev reached a pivotal moment over two and a half hours into the match. The fourth set was in progress, and while Djokovic held the lead, Zverev had a break point—a key opportunity to make a comeback.
The two players engaged in a 41-stroke rally, the longest of the match on a windy Wednesday night. Djokovic emerged victorious, landing a forehand winner to clinch the point. He remained still afterward, catching his breath, with his hands on his hips, as the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd gave him a standing ovation.
Though Djokovic is now 38 years old and has faced challenges this season, including two losing streaks and a drop to No. 6 in the rankings, his determination remains as strong as ever. He proved his ability to perform on the biggest stages, advancing to his 51st Grand Slam semifinal and moving within two victories of a record 25th major title.
Djokovic defeated the third-seeded Zverev, who is a decade younger and was last year’s French Open finalist, with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 scoreline. This victory sets up a highly anticipated semifinal match against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
Earlier on Wednesday, Sinner continued his dominant run in Paris, beating Alexander Bublik 6-1, 7-5, 6-0. Sinner has yet to lose a set in the tournament, and he has allowed just 36 games across five matches.
Friday’s semifinal will see a showdown between Djokovic, regarded by many as the greatest tennis player in history, and Sinner, the current leader of the men’s game. Their head-to-head record is tied 4-4, though Sinner has won the last three encounters.
Djokovic holds the record for the most weeks at world No. 1, as well as for the most major titles and semifinals. This will be his 51st appearance in a Grand Slam semifinal, making him the second-oldest player to reach that stage at Roland-Garros.
Sinner, at 23, is already a three-time Grand Slam champion, having won the 2023 US Open and the 2024 Australian Open. He has not lost a match in a major tournament for 19 straight matches and has won his last 26 sets in these events.
Alexander Bublik, who faced Sinner earlier in the tournament, praised the Italian’s game, saying, “He’s playing fast. He’s playing smart. He’s in another dimension with all the aspects of the game.”
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