Novak Djokovic notched his 99th career match victory at the French Open, defeating Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the fourth round on Saturday night in Paris.
The 36-year-old Serbian star showcased his brilliance on Court Philippe Chatrier, as thousands of fans cheered him on. Aiming for a historic 25th Grand Slam title, Djokovic displayed superb form against the 22-year-old Misolic, overpowering him with a combination of deft skill and relentless pressure.
Despite missing several early break-point opportunities, Djokovic maintained his composure and finally broke through to take a 4-2 lead in the first set. His incredible defensive plays and ability to retrieve tough shots left the crowd in awe.
The second set saw Misolic put up a spirited fight, but Djokovic’s experience shone through. At one point, after Misolic took a tumble on the clay court, Djokovic sportingly helped him up, earning applause from the spectators. However, the moment of camaraderie was short-lived as Djokovic swiftly regained focus to secure the set.
In the third set, with fireworks illuminating the Parisian sky, Djokovic was unstoppable. He broke Misolic’s serve and sealed the match, setting up a last-16 clash against Britain’s Cameron Norrie.
“I’m just hoping to carry on. Every time I step onto this court, I’m playing for history,” said Djokovic, who appears to have overcome the blisters that troubled him in the previous round.
With this victory, Djokovic is on the cusp of his 100th French Open win and continues his streak of reaching at least the quarterfinals at Roland Garros every year since 2010.
In other matches, top-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner dominated Czech player Jiri Lehecka 6-0, 6-1, 6-2, in the tournament’s fastest men’s match this year. Sinner, who is eyeing his first French Open title, will face 17th-seeded Andrey Rublev next.
