Djokovic expresses concern about remaining in the French Open competition.
Tennis icon Novak Djokovic experiences a victorious ending at the French Open in Paris. As the defending champion, he battled against a tough adversary and his own health. Djokovic faced a knee injury, adding to his worries.
Djokovic's eyes brightened, momentarily forgetting the pain in his right leg, as he secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the French Open. With a surge of power, he won 6:1, 5:7, 3:6, 7:5, 6:3 against Argentine Francisco Cerundolo, who is ranked 23rd. Djokovic now holds the record for most Grand Slam match wins with 370.
By advancing in the tournament, Djokovic avoided a significant decline in the world rankings. If he had lost to Italian Jannik Sinner in the round of 16, Sinner would've climbed high in the rankings. However, Djokovic kept his ranking intact after the French Open.
Initially, Djokovic wasn't sure if he could participate in the quarterfinals against Ruud on Wednesday. "I don't know if it'll be tomorrow or the day after, and if I'll be able to go on the court," the 37-year-old said, referring to his knee injury he sustained during the match against Cerundolo. "But I hope so. We'll see what happens."
"A few points shy of losing"
Djokovic's match against Cerundolo lasted 4 hours and 39 minutes. "I was a few points away from losing. My sincere wish for Francisco," he said, hoping for a rematch against Ruud. Ruud, the winner against American Taylor Fritz 7:6 (8:6), 3:6, 6:4, 6:2, will be his next opponent.
Against Cerundolo, Djokovic struggled to maintain his rhythm after a strong start. However, he showed his typical grit and determination, fighting back valiantly. Despite appearing less than physically fit, possibly due to exhaustion from his previous match, the Serb persevered.
The carefree-playing Cerundolo gave Djokovic a challenge, but he remained undeterred. Djokovic exhibited his characteristic fighting spirit and prevented defeat in the fourth set. From 2:4, he made it 7:5 and forced a decisive fifth set. There, he broke at 5:3, eventually celebrating in relief. He avoided the earliest Grand Slam exit since his disqualification in the round of 16 of the US Open 2020.
