Novak Djokovic already has his seat reserved this Friday in the front row of the Phillippe Chatrier. He got it after getting rid of a bully Karen Khachanov by 4-6, 7-6 (0), 6-2 and 6-4. For the twelfth time in Paris, the former number 1 will be in the penultimate round of Roland Garros, in search of a third title and the 23rd Grand Slam to surpass the record shared with the absent Rafael Nadal. The second reserve is pending the night session, this Tuesday, in which he faces Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals.
It didn’t start off in the best way Djokovic. On the other side of the net was a real wall. A Khachanov that it had nothing to do with the tennis player he had beaten on 10 previous occasions. The Russian tennis player, supported by a great serve (88% points with the first serve), powerful with his forehand, safe from the baseline and even with unknown drop shots, not only kept up the pulse, but also snatched the first set from him. of the tournament to the Serbian.
an unexpected blow for Djokovic. He did not expect it and did not have the patience to counteract the Russian (world 11). He was inaccurate (17 unforced errors to just 12 winners), and the wind wasn’t helping him either. It cost him the ‘break’ (2-3), which Khachanov He knew how to defend, without giving up a ‘break point’, until he scored the first set in 56 minutes.
In the second set the script did not change too much. Khachanov he remained tough, aggressive, to follow the pulse until reaching the ‘tie break’. Djokovic He still did not get a ‘break point’. But, in the decisive game, Djokovic took advantage of a Khachanov’s mistakelooking for a setback (2-0), to launch himself with a murderous instinct on his prey and win the seven points, with no response from the Russian tennis player.
The crowd’s shouts of “Nole, Nole” certified that few wanted the Serbian to lose and miss the semifinal date with Alcaraz, if the Murcian beat Tsitsipas at night.
A run of 15-0
Djokovic’s first break he would not arrive until after 2 hours and 14 minutes of the match at the start of the third set. It was the starting signal for the change of scenery. Djokovic scored 15 points in a row and three games to win the set in 45 minutes.
The worst was over and Djokovic He would still get a scare when Khachanov rallied from 4-2, 15-40 down to level the score at 4-4. He saved it with a tear in the next game and secured his place in the semifinals after 3 hours and 38 minutes.
2023-06-06 17:17:58
#Djokovic #reserves #place #Roland #Garros #semifinals
