Djokovic Overcomes Adversity at the French Open
Novak Djokovic faced a challenging match at the French Open on Thursday, overcoming a painful blister on his left big toe that necessitated a medical timeout during the third set. Despite this issue, Djokovic secured a 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (1) win against French player Corentin Moutet.
“Anything can happen with him on the court,” Djokovic commented. “I had to find the right shots to maintain my position in the match.”
Historic Advancement
This triumph marked Djokovic’s advancement to the third round of Roland-Garros for an impressive 20th time, a record that puts him ahead of even Rafael Nadal. A couple more victories would position Djokovic for his 16th consecutive appearance in the tournament’s quarterfinals. However, last year he had to withdraw from that round due to a serious knee injury, which required surgery after tearing the meniscus.
Match Highlights
Djokovic, who has captured three of his record 24 Grand Slam titles in Paris, began his match against the left-handed Moutet with an unexpectedly shaky start, getting broken in the first game and igniting cheers from the home crowd. Nonetheless, he regained his composure and took charge of the match.
Trouble resurfaced in the third set when Djokovic, after a nighttime bike ride around Paris the previous day, slipped during a forehand shot. Struggling with the injury, he called for a trainer who treated his toe and applied tape.
Moutet briefly took control, leading 4-2 in the third set and enjoying the support of the crowd. However, Djokovic quickly broke back. The match reached a tense point at 6-5, with Djokovic fighting off a set point while Moutet’s fans urged him on. Moutet made a critical error, netting a backhand when it mattered most, allowing Djokovic to dominate the tiebreaker.
Regaining Confidence
This season has not always been smooth sailing for Djokovic, who has experienced two separate three-match losing streaks. Nevertheless, he recently regained his confidence by clinching his 100th career title at the Geneva Open before arriving at Roland-Garros.
“I wasn’t feeling confident before the tournament in Geneva,” Djokovic admitted. “It’s normal to have those feelings when you haven’t had many wins. I’ve had to put in the effort to secure my victories.”
Coverage
Howard Fendrich has been providing coverage of tennis for the AP since 2002.
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