PARIS — A pivotal moment unfolded more than two and a half hours into Novak Djokovic’s journey through the French Open quarterfinal, where he triumphed over Alexander Zverev with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. In the decisive fourth set, Djokovic held the lead while Zverev had a break point, presenting a glimmer of hope to turn the match around.
After an intense exchange lasting 41 strokes—no small feat on a windy evening—Djokovic emerged victorious with a stunning forehand winner. He paused to absorb the electric ambiance, hands on his hips, breathing heavily, while the crowd at Court Philippe-Chatrier erupted in applause.
At 38 years old, Djokovic has faced challenges this season, enduring two three-match losing streaks and dropping to No. 6 in the world rankings. Yet, his unyielding spirit and ability to rise to the occasion on grand stages remain unchanged, bringing him just two wins away from a historic 25th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic proved too formidable for Zverev, the No. 3 seed and last year’s Roland-Garros runner-up, setting up a tantalizing semifinal clash with the top-seeded Jannik Sinner.
Earlier on Wednesday, Sinner showcased his dominance, dispatching Alexander Bublik with a decisive score of 6-1, 7-5, 6-0. Remarkably, Sinner hasn’t dropped a single set thus far and has only conceded 36 games across five matches.
This Friday promises an electrifying showdown between Djokovic, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in tennis history, and the current standout of the game, Sinner. Their head-to-head record stands at 4-4, yet Sinner has triumphed in their last three encounters.
No player has held the No. 1 ranking longer than Djokovic, who also boasts the most Grand Slam victories and has reached an impressive total of 51 semifinal appearances—now the second-oldest man to achieve such a milestone in Paris.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Sinner has claimed three of the last five Grand Slam titles, including the U.S. Open and this year’s Australian Open, marking an incredible 19-match unbeaten streak in major tournaments, along with a remarkable 26 consecutive sets won.
“He’s playing exceptionally well,” remarked Bublik. “He’s in a league of his own across all facets of the game.”
This description applies equally to Djokovic, who effectively employed drop shots against Zverev to great advantage.
As it stands, only Carlos Alcaraz has managed to defeat Sinner in the past 48 matches, during which he has achieved a remarkable 46-2 record, with both losses coming at the hands of the defending champion of the French Open.
And speaking of Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed remains in contention, set to face off against No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti in the other semifinal.
Despite some distractions during Djokovic vs. Zverev—including pesky flying insects and a lively interaction between the chair umpire and spectators—Djokovic maintained his composure and outperformed Zverev in nearly every respect on the court.
He faced an early break in the first game but displayed resilience, not being broken again throughout the match.
Djokovic managed to break Zverev four times—a remarkable achievement considering Zverev had only been broken five times in his previous five matches.
With 29 unforced errors, Djokovic’s performance was notably sharper compared to Zverev’s 44.
After five match points, Djokovic finally sealed his victory, his face transforming from intense focus to a jubilant smile.
The last encounter between these two took place in the Australian Open semifinals, where Djokovic had to retire due to a hamstring injury. A year earlier, he was forced to withdraw from the French Open quarterfinals due to a meniscus tear that required surgery.
Undoubtedly, he appears to be in excellent form now.
