Daniil Medvedev. The Australian will play the winner of tonight’s late match between Alexander Zverev and Holger Rune.
Novak Djokovic’s thrilling win books him a quarter-final spot against either Taylor Fritz or Casper Ruud. The two are now playing, having each won a set.
The 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva booked her first quarter-final in Paris after a win against Varvara Gracheva. She has a match-up against Aryna Sabalenka to look forward to. Sabalenka, who beat Emma Navarro in straight sets earlier today, knocked Andreeva’s older sister, Erika, earlier in the tournament.
The fourth seed, Elena Rybakina, beat Elina Svitolina in straight sets, and will take on Jasmine Paolini
French Open.
Djokovic 6-1, 5-7, 3-5 Cerundolo*
An easy hold for Cerundolo, and he’s closing in on a two sets to one lead. Of course we’ve been here so many times with Djokovic, where you think he’s beaten but he goes on to laugh in the face of defeat. But this year feels a little different. Can he still pull off the seemingly impossible? He does, at least, claim an uneventful hold to force Cerundolo to serve out the set.
Djokovic 6-1, 5-7, 2-4 Cerundolo*
Cerundolo holds, so the pressure is back on Djokovic. The atmosphere is a bit flat, mirroring Djokovic’s mood, as the shadows start to lengthen over Philippe Chatrier. It’s approaching 7pm in Paris, and this match is now at two and a half hours. Djokovic is left applauding his opponent as Cerundolo clubs a quite ridiculous forehand winner down the line, his 37th winner of the day. 30-all. Djokovic nudges ahead to 40-30, but is pulled back to deuce. He’s wincing. Or perhaps squinting in the evening sun. But he holds from there.
Djokovic 6-1, 5-7, 1-3 Cerundolo*
Djokovic looks so muted out there. He’s been criticised this year for not showing his usual relentless commitment to win – which makes you realise how superhuman it was that he managed to keep that intensity up for so many years – but it’s hard to know whether today is a sign of the 37-year-old’s general malaise, the injury he suffered in the second set or his late finish yesterday. Perhaps it’s all three. Cerundolo gets a break point at 30-40 for the double break, but Djokovic shows resolve to recover and move to his advantage. He doesn’t close out that point, but finally goes on to seal what could be an important hold.
Swiatek (1) v Vondrousova (5)
Gauff (3) v Jabeur (8)
Paolini v Rybakina (4)
Andreeva v Sabalenka (2)
Djokovic* 6-1, 5-7, 0-3 Cerundolo
Andreeva’s victory didn’t come at the best time, as I completely missed Cerundolo breaking Djokovic in the second game of the third set. Oops. You wait ages for the Argentinian to break and then two come along in successive Djokovic service games. The Argentinian then pushes further ahead with a hold to 15. That’s five games on the spin for Cerundolo. Djokovic is reeling.
Andreeva is close to victory on Suzanne Lenglen. The Russian leads 7-5, 5-2, and has two match points at 40-15. She can’t take the first, but does win the second, as she sends a forehand winner into the open court! She’s only 17 and she’s into her first grand slam quarter-final. But she does have the unenviable task of facing Aryna Sabalenka next. Gracheva’s defeat means that French interest in the singles is over.
Djokovic* 6-1, 5-7, 0-1 Cerundolo
Djokovic looks grumpy and grouchy, no surprise really after his all-nighter yesterday. The last thing he wanted was for this match to go on any longer than necessary, having won the first set. But now he’ll have to play four at the very least. And even the first game of the third set is proving attritional. Cerundolo holds from deuce, with the help of a lucky net cord, as the match clock ticks past two hours.
Cerundolo wins the second set 7-5
So will it be one set all or will it be tie-break time? At 15-all, Djokovic doesn’t choose the best time to throw in his second double fault of the day. 15-30. 15-40, two set points! Surely Cerundolo has to break eventually? And then Djokovic is distracted by someone whistling during his ball toss. He stops, steadies himself, before serving and saving the first. But Djokovic can’t win the second as he prods into the tramlines!
Djokovic* 6-1, 5-6 Cerundolo
Djokovic does all the hard work on the opening point, showing great defence to stay in it, before biffing a poor backhand into the net. 15-0, 30-0 Cerundolo. Which very quickly becomes 40-0. And game. A love hold for the Argentinian and he’s guaranteed a tie-break at the very least.
Djokovic 6-1, 5-5 Cerundolo*
You feel this set could be decisive in terms of who wins the match. Would Djokovic physically be able to last more than three sets? After all the break points he’s faced in this set, he could do with an easy hold here, and gets off to the perfect start to bring up 30-0. But a let is played on the third point and Cerundolo takes it. 30-15. 40-15, as Djokovic digs a volley out of the red dirt. And Djokovic holds with an unreturned serve out wide.
Djokovic* 6-1, 4-5 Cerundolo
The painkillers look to have kicked in now, as Djokovic skips around the court and gets to 15-all on Cerundolo’s serve. Djokovic retrieves smash after smash on the next point – no problem with his movement there – but Cerundolo eventually puts the ball away. Djokovic has some stern words for his box – and he’s still gesticulating to them as he walks to his chair after Cerundolo seals another hold.
Djokovic 6-1, 4-4 Cerundolo*
Cerundolo is 0/10 on break points in this match and here’s No11. 30-40 on the Djokovic serve. This would be the perfect time to finally break – he would then be serving for the set. Djokovic misses his first serve, a long rally plays out after the second, and Cerundolo sends a lazy shot long. That’s a let-off for Djokovic. And Djokovic moves left and right and left and right before pulling off the perfect drop shot! Djokovic holds.
