Published on : 07/10/2020 – 22:25
World number one Novak Djokovic, although physically diminished, qualified for his 10th semi-final at Roland Garros by eliminating Spaniard Pablo Carreno (18th), to whom he offered a place in the US quarterfinals. Open, being disqualified, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.
In a remake of the round of 16 of the US Open in early September, which ended with the shock disqualification of the Serbian, Novak Djokovic did not leave the victory this time to Pablo Carreño Busta (18th). The world number one, although physically diminished, qualified on Wednesday October 7 for his 10th semi-final at Roland Garros by eliminating the Spaniard (4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4), to whom he had offered a quarterback spot in New York, after a ball he had hit in a moody gesture inadvertently struck a linesman.
“It took a lot of patience. He makes few mistakes so all the points are long,” commented the world number one, winner in Paris in 2016. “I was in pain at the start of the match, I was moving badly. But I I ended up finding the rhythm and staying focused on the important points, ”he explained. Twice, Djokovic called the physiotherapist to have his left bicep massaged when changing sides. And little by little, with howls sometimes of anger and sometimes of encouragement, the Djoker resurfaced.
Novak Djokovic will face the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (6th) for a place in the final. At 22, the latter climbed for the second time in his young career in the last four in a major tournament. The Greek took his revenge on Andrey Rublev (12th) in less than two hours (7-5, 6-2, 6-3), despite a sluggish start (Rublev served for the first set at 5-4) . It was the Russian who had the last word in the final of the Hamburg tournament at the dawn of Roland Garros.
In women, Petra Kvitova, double winner of Wimbledon, and Sofia Kenin, winner of the Australian Open at the beginning of the year, have an appointment on Thursday for a place in the final of Roland Garros.
On the contrary, the other semi-final will oppose two newcomers at this level in Grand Slam: the young Polish Iga Swiatek (19 years old, 54th) and the Argentinian qualifier Nadia Podoroska (131st).
With AFP
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