Novak Djokovic’s quest for a 25th Grand Slam title faced a significant challenge on a cold and damp Saturday night at Roland Garros.
In what became the latest-ever finish at the French Open, the Serbian champion battled back for a 7-5, 6-7(6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory over Lorenzo Musetti.
The third-round match began at 10:37 PM local time and concluded at 3:06 AM on Sunday, with fans in the main show court rising to their feet as Djokovic sealed his win.
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The reigning champion showcased the iron will that has made him one of the game’s greatest players. Djokovic recovered from an early loss of serve and went toe-to-toe with the Italian in a draining first set, eventually securing a crucial break in the 12th game.
Despite gasping for air after a lengthy rally, Djokovic soon found himself in control in the second set. However, Musetti broke back and levelled the match by winning a high-quality tiebreak.
In the third set, Musetti elevated his game, breaking Djokovic and surging ahead to win comfortably.
This set alarm bells ringing for the Serbian, who expressed his frustration about the court conditions to the umpire. Djokovic, however, rediscovered his rhythm, wrapping up the fourth set and dominating the fifth to secure his victory.
Alongside Djokovic’s dramatic win, fourth seed Alexander Zverev also survived a marathon match, advancing to the fourth round with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (10-3) victory over Tallon Griekspoor.
In the women’s draw, second seed Aryna Sabalenka defeated Paula Badosa 7-5, 6-1, while Varvara Gracheva delighted French fans with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Irina-Camelia Begu.
Elena Rybakina and Felix Auger-Aliassime also advanced, as did Alex de Minaur, marking a historic moment for Australian men’s tennis at the French Open.
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