Novak Djokovic saved a shock at the French Open in the fourth round, after the battle against teenager Lorenzo Musetti.
The world number one was outplayed early on, before the game. And lead the way 6-7 (7-9) 6-7 (2-7) 6-1 6-0 4-0 when the 19-year-old Italian retired, wounded.
The world number 76 Musetti was playing his first premier of the Grand Slam singles draw. And he received a standing ovation as he left the court.
For the last eight, Rafael Nadal beat Jannik Sinner 7-5 6-3 6-0. The 13-time French Open champion recovered from the change of the opening set.
He dropped serve to trail twice with a 5-3 easy to look at in the Italian 18th seed. And extend their winning run in the heart of Paris in 35 sets.
At this point, His victory was the fifth, including eliminating the deficit of two sets to win a Grand Slam.
But for most of the day, he was disappointed with the Musetti. To keep up with him in the initial stages.
The teen began to struggle with leg cramps in the stomach and the back.
And he took a medical time-out after winning four points in the fourth set. Before he stepped down after losing 13 games in a row.
“I’d like to play with the young people. In the best of five because for even the two sets down. And I feel like I still have a chance,” said Djokovic.
“Furthermore, I’ve also won most of my five-setters. And these experiences will help me. Unfortunately, he has to retire. But I was able to see that it was difficult for him physically.”
Musetti comes closer to the shock of the tournament.
From the very first moment, Musetti saw the clear winner. And he seems to think that he is a member of a reputable company. And he was sure that he is the star of the future, according to many.
Djokovic didn’t miss a single set in his first three matches at Roland Garros. And his serve was broken only once in a week. But Musetti ended up on this series in the first place.
The shield immediately after being broken out of Love. Musetti entertained the crowd with several brilliant shots.
And also including a stunning no-look backhand volley winner to take it to a tie-break.
Whereas, there he came up from 4-1 down to earn the three set points. And while some Djokovic brilliance saved the first two sets. In addition, a stunning Musetti forehand converted the third.
His heroics continued in the second set. And a wrong-footing backhand down the line eliciting Djokovic’s applause.
As Musetti forced another tie-break under which he dominated 7-2 to the excited disbelief of the crowd.
Sometimes to be forced to leave His run from corner to corner, of the court.
He is usually the number one in the world with his competitors. But Musetti, precision, began to leave him out in the third set.
The physical struggle was still there. However, in his decline as an 18-time Grand Slam champion was finally realized very skilled. For a player ranked 360th in the world at the beginning of the year.
However, it wasn’t easy to get the impression that this was just the beginning of the Musetti.
However, that the 13th-seeded David Goffin in the first round. And also won over Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori, Diego Schwartzman, and Grigor Dimitrov a little bit longer in the senior tour.
“It was an amazing experience. I think I played my best tennis. I’ve never played like this before, ” Musetti said.
“Of course, I’m a little disappointed. But I’ve been playing against the number one in the world. And I also took the first two sets.
“After that, he had started to play well. And then I had a bit of a problem with the physical part. So I think I need to work there.”
Djokovic shows the heart of a champion.
While a lot of applause is directed towards Musetti. But it is also necessary to provide credit to Djokovic for not losing his head to fate.
And he was having thrown everything at his opponent for the two sets, only to see him start in the back, with interest.
After losing in the second set tie-break, he broke the aggression factor. And so the dividend was paid immediately, with an early break in the third set.
This seemed to dishearten the Italian. And, as Djokovic’s level grew, and the teenager’s dropped.
Even though it may not seem like the two meets, after having tried three straight wins. It could be beneficial to Djokovic, who can only face the seeded player. You can meet only in the final game.
To make history the first Open era player to win a second career Grand Slam. And the Serb will surely take confidence by adding to his sole Roland Garros triumph.
Since I lost the second set and went on to change and come back again, I felt different. After that, I was another player, ” said Djokovic.
He will face Matteo Berrettini in the quarter-final. After the Italian was handed the ninth seed. And he received a bye into the last-eight, thanks to the withdrawal of Roger Federer.
Rafael Nadal continued his excellent campaign at Roland Garros.
Nadal’s 2019 Roland Garros final victory over Dominic Thiem was the last time when the Spaniard had dropped a set on the Paris clay.
And he was having perfectly retained his title last year with seven straight-set wins.
Moreover, the proud record looked in jeopardy during a topsy-turvy opening set.
The set in which Sinner failed to make the most of the chances presented to him.
An Italian Musetti who is only a 19-year-old, but h rise up the score in it was probably faster.
Conscientiously gave up a portion of the set. As a result, he lost the four games in the series when serving with a 5-3 advantage.
The guilty faces of returning to the score 4-0 in the second set, twice, to break Nadal.
On the other hand, he only gave away his serve in return before being utterly outclassed in the final set.
The second seed will now have a history firmly on his mind. He bids to move clear from Roger Federer on the all-time Men’s singles Grand Slam event list and lift his 21st major.
If he reaches the final without dropping a set, Nadal would also equal.
And potentially then surpass Bjorn Borg‘s record of winning 41 straight French Open sets between 1979 and 1981.
Nadal will next play with Diego Schwartzman after the Argentinian 10th seed. Then, giving a terrible rebound in the first set, tune in to a win over Jan-Lennard Struff.
Schwartzman is trailed his unseeded German opponent 5-1 early on. But he saved six set points and then a little more in a lengthy tie-break before triumphing 7-6 (11-9) 6-4 7-5.
