Is Djokovic back on track to defend his French Open title?

PARIS — IT WAS WELL previous 3 within the morning Sunday when Novak Djokovic lastly raised his arms in triumph, because the devoted followers within the stands at Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier, many huddled in blankets, rose to their toes.

It had been 5 grueling units and practically 4½ hours of battling — and drop photographs and relentless operating. However the world No. 1 had lastly gotten previous Lorenzo Musetti 7-5, 6-7(6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 to advance to the fourth spherical on the French Open. It marked the newest end in historical past for a match on the match, and the fatigue and aid was evident on Djokovic’s face as he addressed the group moments later.

“That was maybe the perfect match I ever performed right here,” Djokovic, 37, stated in French. “Essentially the most thrilling. Thanks a lot. And now, who’s going to sleep? It is unimaginable to sleep now with all this adrenaline. If you are going to have a good time, I am coming too.”

It may appear shocking that Djokovic — a person tied for probably the most main title victories in tennis historical past with 24, and the defending champion at Roland Garros — can be so emotional about merely reaching the second week. However this season has been stuffed with disappointments and early exits. When Djokovic fell behind to Musetti, 22, he had been staring down his worst end result at a serious for the reason that Australian Open in 2017 and the lack of his No. 1 rating. It might have been yet one more stunning end result, in a 12 months stuffed with them.

In these early hours Sunday morning, Djokovic rediscovered a few of his signature magic — and doubtlessly acquired his season again on monitor.

“Everybody has seen Djokovic’s struggles, and now gamers imagine they’ve an opportunity to beat him, but when he begins to search out the greatness that has made him who he’s, that s— is out the window,” Brad Gilbert, Coco Gauff’s coach and former coach of Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick, advised ESPN. “If the greatness of ‘Joker’ is there, it would not matter what the opposite man is doing, beating him goes to be extraordinarily tough.”

LAST SEASON, DJOKOVIC gained three main titles and tied the general Grand Slam document. In November, after advancing to the title match on the ATP Finals, he was requested how he would have the ability to keep motivated within the new season.

“Effectively, you may win 4 Slams and Olympic gold,” Djokovic stated with a smile, however in full seriousness. “I imply, I’ve at all times the very best ambitions and objectives. That is not going to be totally different for the following 12 months, that is for positive. The drive that I’ve remains to be there.”

However Djokovic’s dream for all 4 main titles ended early. He misplaced within the semifinals on the Australian Open in January to eventual champion Jannik Sinner, and since then he hasn’t been in a position to flip his season round. Within the 4 tournaments he performed after, he failed to achieve a closing and has skilled some really baffling losses to gamers properly outdoors the highest 20, comparable to Luca Nardi within the spherical of 32 at Indian Wells and Tomas Machac within the semifinals at Geneva final week.

He was injured when a water bottle dropped onto his head on the Italian Open, and he later stated the nausea, dizziness and complications precipitated him made him really feel like a “totally different participant” on the court docket. He misplaced to Alejandro Tabilo two days after the incident.

He arrived in Paris having performed at Geneva — a rarity for him throughout the week earlier than a serious — and clearly sad with how the season had fared. He stated he had “low expectations and excessive hopes” for the French Open however was optimistic he may flip issues round throughout the fortnight.

“I’ve been saying for fairly some time that by way of clay I need to peak right here in Paris, in Roland Garros,” Djokovic stated earlier than play acquired underway. “Final 12 months I had an incredible 12 months, and notably right here in Roland Garros, and hopefully I can, yeah, have an amazing match.

“After all it does have an effect on me, , the 5 months that I had to this point within the 12 months that have not been nice by way of my tennis. That is why I’ve a type of an strategy that’s centered every day, extra making an attempt to construct the shape and momentum in order that I can have a greater probability to achieve additional within the match.”

And Djokovic has seemingly gotten higher in every match he is performed on the French Open. He struggled at occasions together with his motion in his 6-4, 7-6 (3), 6-4 opening-round victory over Pierre-Hugues Herbert, a wild card ranked No. 142 on this planet, and he even took what seemed to be a tough fall by the web within the third set.

Djokovic appeared extra assured, and was transferring extra freely, in his extra simple second-round victory over Roberto Carballes Baena 6-4, 6-1, 6-2.

In opposition to the athletic and fearless Musetti, Djokovic wanted to dig deep and discover his manner again, after blowing a 4-1 lead and set level on serve within the second set after which falling right into a 2-1 deficit. However one thing occurred within the fourth set at 2-all and he seized management — after which by no means appeared again.

“It did not really feel nice enjoying him that third set [and] at starting of the fourth,” Djokovic stated after the match. “The gang undoubtedly acquired me going. I actually wanted that push, I actually wanted that vitality. And a couple of-all within the fourth, they begin chanting my identify and I simply felt an amazing new wave of willpower and vitality. And I believe I used to be a unique participant from that second onwards. I believe from that second I most likely misplaced just one recreation the remainder of the match.”

THE LOSS TO SINNER on the Australian Open was the primary signal Djokovic’s season wasn’t going to plan. Nevertheless it was the loss to Nardi at Indian Wells that actually made his opponents take discover — and alter their strategy to matches towards him.

After Casper Ruud defeated Djokovic — for the primary time in six tries — within the semifinals in Monte Carlo in April, he stated he had entered the match with a unique mentality than prior to now.

“I believe what actually motivated me and helped me a bit in the present day was perhaps that I thought of, , he misplaced a match in Indian Wells to Luca Nardi, and he confirmed there that he is additionally weak generally,” Ruud stated after their match. “Not many occasions in a 12 months, however a number of days right here and there he is potential to beat … For those who see that many or different gamers have crushed him earlier than, you imagine a bit extra in your self additionally.”

Tabilo had additionally watched Djokovic’s loss to Nardi and he too was shocked, but additionally inspired by the end result. He was nervous as he ready for his or her spherical of 32 assembly in Rome, but additionally extra optimistic than he would have been beforehand.

“It offers you hope,” Tabilo advised ESPN this week. “It actually does assist additionally figuring out that him coming on this 12 months, he isn’t at his finest type. And that additionally not solely offers you a bit little bit of confidence, nevertheless it offers you a bit bit extra hope that you would be able to battle a bit bit extra with him.”

Gilbert stated he believes gamers of Djokovic’s caliber have an aura round them, and most gamers do not suppose they’ve any probability of competing with them. However when one is ready to do it, it could possibly change the whole lot.

“While you’re somebody like Talibo and also you’re enjoying ‘Regular Djokovic,’ it is like being down 3-0 if you’re strolling to the court docket. That is the fairness {that a} participant like Djokovic has and has constructed for himself together with his outcomes,” Gilbert stated. “However then, if you see Djokovic on TV and he is shedding [the matches he has], you suppose, ‘Oh geez, I’ve by no means seen this occur, perhaps it’s going to occur once more.’ These type of losses can change another person’s self-belief and take away that benefit.”

Regardless of the lopsided 6-2, 6-3 rating, Tabilo nonetheless did not imagine he would pull off the victory till the ultimate factors of the match.

“I gained the primary set fairly comfortably and I used to be like, ‘All proper, this cannot be this like this, he has to bounce again at a while,'” Tabilo stated. “Truthfully, I used to be even prepared simply to go for a 3rd set already. I imply one thing has to occur, it is Novak Djokovic. He can flip it round every time.”

DJOKOVIC IS ONE main title away from surpassing Margaret Courtroom for probably the most ever, and he already holds probably the most within the Open period and most amongst males. He has by no means publicly complained in regards to the stress that comes with chasing historical past, however others have spoken in regards to the toll such expectations can take. Serena Williams, the 23-time main champion, spoke overtly about it.

“I would be mendacity if I stated I did not need that document,” Williams wrote within the Vogue essay asserting her retirement in 2022. “Clearly I do … Possibly I thought of it an excessive amount of, and that did not assist.”

Djokovic did admit this week that he has struggled with staying motivated outdoors the large occasions just like the Grand Slams and the Olympics, and he was involved it will change into a bigger concern going ahead.

“I do know the second goes to reach eventually the place I am simply going to have off weeks,” Djokovic stated after his second-round match. “The place I am struggling to push myself or ship what must be delivered on the court docket … I am centered just about solely on Grand Slams and Olympics this 12 months, and enjoying for my nation, actually. That is one thing that actually drives me probably the most.”

There seemed to be no such concern late within the match Sunday, no scarcity of drive as he ran down each ball Musetti hit his manner. Now Djokovic not solely stays in competition to defend his Roland Garros crown, however has labored his manner again atop the favorites checklist.

However successful his fourth French Open title will not be simple.

On Monday, Djokovic will face Francisco Cerundolo, the No. 23 seed who’s again within the fourth spherical for the second consecutive 12 months. They’ve by no means performed earlier than, however Cerundolo can have undoubtedly studied what gamers like Tabilo and Nardi did of their matches with the intention to pull off the upset.

If Djokovic advances to the quarterfinals, he’ll face Ruud, a two-time finalist at Roland Garros, or Taylor Fritz, who has dubbed himself “Claylor” as a consequence of his success on the floor this season. Daniil Medvedev, Holger Rune and Alexander Zverev are potential semifinal opponents. Sinner, the No. 2 seed, and Carlos Alcaraz, the No. 3 seed, are on the other aspect of the draw and will await within the closing if Djokovic reaches it.

With Rafael Nadal, the 14-time French Open champion, eradicated within the first spherical in what is predicted to be his closing look on the match, Djokovic is the one males’s champion remaining. With Djokovic’s struggles within the months main in, many believed this match could possibly be the clearest sign of a altering of the guard in males’s tennis. However after Sunday, it seems Djokovic is not able to concede simply but. And perhaps, simply perhaps, the win over Musetti marked the turning level of his 12 months that he is been so desperately in search of.

“Clearly by his requirements, this season has been a shocking one,” Gilbert stated. “However he got here to Wimbledon in 2018 having not gained a serious in over two years and [following] elbow accidents [and having undergone surgery] after which he gained it. He may flip it round right here once more and win it. That is the great thing about tennis and that is a part of his greatness.”