PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic was lying on his back on a French Open on the sidelines at the start of the second set Monday, grimacing as his injured right knee was handled by a trainer — and fearing he might have to stop playing the match.
After stumbling and limping, then finding himself down a set and a break against a younger, enthusiastic opponent, Djokovic regained his verve with the help of what he said was a doctor at the tournament had told him was the maximum dose of pills allowed to dull the pain. and reduce any inflammation.
So, yeah, Djokovic held on and came back to win in five sets over about 4 1/2 hours for the second time in a row, edging past No. 23 Francisco Cerundolo 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5 , 6-3 in the fourth round at Roland Garros for his record 370th victory in a Grand Slam match. But here’s the thing: Djokovic said he couldn’t be sure he’d be healthy enough to play in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.
“I don’t know what will happen tomorrow – or the day after tomorrow, if I will be able to go out on the court and play,” Djokovic, 37, said. “You know, I hope so. Let’s see what happens.”
Djokovic said the knee had been bothering him for a few weeks, attributing it to wear and tear, and that it got worse after he tweaked it against Cerundolo. Djokovic took a medical timeout at 2-1 in the second set, was treated by the coach during subsequent changes and received more medication after the third set.
“I didn’t know, to be honest,” Djokovic said, “whether I should continue or not.”
Eventually, he felt better and was able to move without restrictions, and his level of play increased as a result.
It was the second consecutive five-set victory that lasted about 4 1/2 hours for Djokovic, who is ranked n°1 and defending champion in Paris. He said the accumulation of time was not a problem; however, his knee was.
Djokovic is scheduled to meet No. 7 seed Casper Ruud on Wednesday. Ruud, who eliminated No. 12 Taylor Fritz 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 on Monday, lost to Djokovic in the French Open final last year and to Rafael Nadal in of the 2022 title game.
“The effect of the drugs won’t last too long, so I’ll see,” Djokovic said. “I guess we will do more screenings, tests and exams tomorrow.”
Questions about his status have distracted from the latest in a long line of Djokovic’s monumental achievements. Beating Cerundolo allowed Djokovic to break a tie with Roger Federer for the most match wins at major tournaments – and also for the most Slam quarter-finals for a man, reaching 59th in his career.
But barely. Djokovic trailed by two sets to one and was down 4-2 in the fourth, putting him two games from defeat.
“I was,” Djokovic said afterward, “maybe three or four points away from losing that match.”
Yet he got away with it as he so often did during his years of domination and 24 major trophies, a total that includes three at Roland Garros. He’s both knocked down a fight after being dragged – go ahead and ask Federer if he held match points against the guy – and emerge when the tension is greatest. Djokovic is 40-11 in fifth sets during his career; Compare that with Cerundolo’s 1-3 mark, and the result should surprise no one.
“Really, the toughest guy to ever play tennis,” Cerundolo said. “He always finds a way to come back and play his best tennis in the toughest moments and at the end of every match.”
At 2-1 in the crucible of the fifth set, Djokovic’s feet gave way as he chased a ball to his right, and he rolled across the floor, coating his white shorts, red shirt and parts of his arms and his legs with rust. -colored clay. As he walked to the sideline to grab a bottle of water to clean, he gave his opinion to anyone who would listen, renewing an earlier complaint that he wanted the court swept to improve traction.
“Well done, supervisor and everyone,” Djokovic said, his voice drenched in sarcasm. “Not slippery at all.”
During his press conference, he reiterated his concerns and disappointment with the decision not to do more for clay.
“I mean, today I got hurt. Yes, I survived. I won the match. Great. But will I be able to play the next one? » he said, tapping his palms on a table for emphasis. “I don’t know. I don’t know the severity of the injury. But could this injury have been avoided? Maybe, if there was just a little more frequent maintenance on the court during the set.
In the third round, he passed in front No. 30 Lorenzo Musetti, a 22-year-old Italian, finished after 3 a.m. Sunday, the last finish in French Open history.
Against Cerundolo, a 25-year-old Argentine who was trying to reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal, Djokovic once again used all his skills, experience and ability to adapt on the fly. He coped, in part, by putting more speed on his groundstrokes.
From 3-3 down in the fifth, Djokovic won all remaining matches. That included breaking to lead 5-3 with a forehand winner that caught the baseline – so close to being out that chair umpire Aurélie Tourte came down to check.
The other men’s quarter-final on Wednesday will take place Alex de Minaurwho defeated 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev, against Alexander Zverev, winner 4-6, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-2 against Holger Rune in a match that is finished at 1:40 a.m. am Tuesday.
THE ladies quarter-finals Wednesday: Aryna Sabalenka vs. Aryna Sabalenka Mirra Andreeva and Elena Rybakina vs. Mirra Andreeva Jasmin Paolini.
With temperatures topping 70 degrees Fahrenheit (20 Celsius) after a colder weather tournament and a lot of rain – a change in conditions that Djokovic said affected the amount of clay on the playing surface – the azure sky was finally visible as Djokovic and Cerundolo got underway in the late afternoon.
Djokovic’s comeback began in earnest on the night, at 4-3 in the fourth period, when he hit a winner to earn a break point – not to mention the roars from the stands – and converted when Cerundolo scored a shot. Djokovic shook his racket above his head and a chant of his two-syllable nickname rang out: “No-le!” No!
He arrived in Paris with a 14-6 record in 2024 and not a single tournament final appearance, much less a title. Sure, he’s lived on the edge so far at Roland Garros – his last two matches took 9 hours and 8 minutes over 10 sets – but no one has ever been as good as Djokovic at a Grand Slam. As long as he can play, of course.
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AP Sports Writer Jerome Pugmire and Associated Press Writer Tom Nouvian contributed to this report.
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AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis