Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner continued their impressive runs at the French Open, each setting new personal milestones as they advanced to the third round at Roland-Garros.
Djokovic, the Serbian tennis superstar, overcame a physical setback and a challenging tiebreak to defeat Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(1) on Thursday. Despite cruising through the first two sets, the 36-year-old required a medical timeout in the third to address a blister that momentarily disrupted his rhythm. After saving a set point, Djokovic rallied to dominate the tiebreak and secure his victory.
“It was a good match, a good fight—especially in the third set,” Djokovic said. “The blister complicated things for a while, but I finished strong, moved well, and played a great tiebreak. The atmosphere was electric, and the crowd really got involved when he was close to winning. It wasn’t easy, but I stayed calm and focused on what I needed to do.”
Chasing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title, Djokovic will next face Austria’s Filip Misolic.
Meanwhile, Italy’s top seed Jannik Sinner extended his Grand Slam winning streak to 16 matches with a commanding 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 victory over French veteran Richard Gasquet. The 23-year-old is aiming for his third consecutive Grand Slam title and hopes to become Italy’s first men’s champion at Roland-Garros since 1976.
Gasquet, a former World No. 7 and the Open Era leader in wins among Frenchmen with 610, confirmed that this would be his final tournament. The 38-year-old exited the court to a standing ovation from the home crowd, showcasing his signature single-handed backhands one last time.
After the match, Sinner paid tribute to Gasquet’s illustrious career. “Congrats for everything you’ve done—an amazing career, but mostly an amazing person you are,” Sinner said.
Sinner will face Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic in the next round.
