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Vintage Djokovic makes hay on clay to set up Sinner semi-final at French Open
AP • June 5th, 2025 10:45 am
Novak Djokovic | Photo: AP
Three-time champion Novak Djokovic kept up his quest for a record-breaking 25th grand slam singles title, battling past third seed Alexander Zverev 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-4 to set up a French Open semi-final against top seed Jannik Sinner.
The 38-year-old Serbian notched his 101st victory at Roland Garros, site of his Olympic gold medal victory last year at the Paris Games, after three hours and 17 minutes.
Former world No.1 Djokovic is just two matches away from becoming the first player, male or female, to win 25 grand slam singles trophies.
Earlier on Thursday (NZ time), Sinner booked his spot in the last four with a straight-sets win over Kazakh Alexander Bublik.
"Obviously there was a lot of tension, pressure, but it is normal when you play against Zverev, one of the best in the world," Djokovic said in a post-match interview.
"My game is based on a lot of running. I am 38 years old, it is not easy to keep running like that but, OK, it works.''
Zverev, last year's finalist who is still searching for a maiden grand slam title, started strongly and broke Djokovic in the first game.
Jannik Sinner | Photo: AP
Attempting to join the Serb, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer as the only men in the Open Era to reach French Open semi-finals in five consecutive years, the German held on to that advantage to earn the first set.
Knowing he could not match his 28-year-old opponent for fitness, Djokovic tried to keep the rallies as short as possible, playing more and more drop shots - 35 in total - to force the tall Zverev to the net.
Djokovic broke his opponent at 2-1 in the second set and was quickly 4-1 up before Zverev had any time to react. He secured the second set with yet another drop shot.
The veteran then broke Zverev twice more to bag the third set with his opponent running out of steam, lacking accuracy and having no clear plan B.
Another break at the start of the fourth set put Djokovic 2-0 up and firmly on the winning track before he wrapped it up on his fifth match point to reach a record-extending 51st grand slam semi-final.
Earlier, Sinner marched on in his relentless pursuit of a first French Open title with a typically efficient win over Kazakh showman Bublik.
Bublik had put out two top-10 seeds en route to the last eight - Australia's Alex de Minaur and Britain's Jack Draper - but Sinner ensured no repeat with a 6-1 7-5 6-0 victory.
The near-flawless victory, in just one hour and 49 minutes, ensured Sinner became the first Italian man to play in six grand slam semi-finals and extended his winning run at the majors to 19 matches, after his triumphs at last year's US Open and the Australian Open in January.
Sinner has not dropped a set, and has lost 36 games all told in his five matches to date.
The Court Philippe Chatrier roof was open after a cold, rainy morning and Sinner raced away to a 5-0 lead before Bublik got on the board and then threatened to break the top seed.
Sinner snuffed out his challenge to win the first set with ease but ran into trouble in the next set when Bublik pulled out several trademark drop shots and worked the No.1 seed harder to stay level after 10 games.
An untimely dip allowed Sinner to pounce and the three-time grand slam champion broke before holding comfortably to stop any chance of a comeback from the world No.62 and move two sets ahead.
The one-way traffic resumed in the third set. Bublik hit a failed underarm serve while trying to avoid going a double break down, before Sinner sealed the win to book a semi-final against Djokovic.
