Defending champion and world No. 1 Novak Djokovic survived a five-set, near five-hour marathon against Lorenzo Musetti in the latest-ever finish in French Open history. The thrilling contest concluded at 3:08 am local time, with Djokovic securing a 7-5, 6-7 (6-8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 comeback victory.
Starting at 10:37 pm on Saturday, the match saw Djokovic demonstrate the resilience that has made him one of the game’s greatest players. Despite facing a 22-year-old opponent in top form, Djokovic’s iron will led him to his 369th Grand Slam match victory, tying Roger Federer at the top of the all-time list.
“He played a fantastic match and came very close to victory,” Djokovic said on court.
The 37-year-old Serbian overcame an early loss of serve and went toe-to-toe with Musetti in the grueling first set before breaking through with some incredible defense. He took the first set 7-5. Djokovic then looked to be in control in the second set, taking a 3-1 lead with a spectacular drop shot. However, Musetti broke back, leveled the match, and won the high-quality tie-break.
The 30th seed Musetti elevated his game in the third set, breaking Djokovic and sealing it comfortably. With alarm bells ringing for Djokovic, he voiced his frustrations about the surface to the umpire but managed to rediscover his rhythm. He dominated the fourth set and bageled his exhausted opponent in the fifth.
“Who’s going to sleep now?” Djokovic quipped. “It’s impossible to sleep, so much adrenaline. If you’re having a party, I’m coming.”
Djokovic will next face Argentine 23rd seed Francisco Cerundolo, who advanced to the fourth round for the second consecutive year.
The three-time Roland Garros champion must reach the final to maintain his No. 1 ranking. However, Jannik Sinner is poised to become the 29th player in history (since 1973) to rise to the top spot if he reaches the final on Sunday.
Credit: Sky Sports
