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PARIS (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic will be the favorite to reach his 27th Grand Slam final when he takes on Stefanos Tsitsipas in the French Open semifinals on Friday, but what had been a smooth ride in the draw has suddenly turned a little complicated.
After his humiliating disqualification in the fourth round of the US Open when he inadvertently struck a ball in frustration at the throat of a linesman, Djokovic’s French Open campaign has been remarkably uneventful.
But after winning his first four games without losing a single set, he had to come back a set against to beat Pablo Carreño Busta in the quarterfinals, the player who directly benefited from his crazy moment in New York.
Djokovic, seeking a second French Open and 18th Grand Slam title, still reached his 38th major semi-final in relative comfort, but for a set and a half against the stubborn Spaniard he physically struggled.
Then he spoke of neck and shoulder problems and if he’s not 100% fit against the 22-year-old Tsitsipas, who is in his second Grand Slam semi-final, it could be a long night at Philippe Chatrier Court.
“I think Novak’s injury is a big concern,” said former French Open champion Mats Wilander, an analyst at Eurosport. “It’s a legitimate injury and if you don’t get off to a good start it could be a problem.”
Tsitsipas, the fifth seed, was thrashed by Rafa Nadal in his previous Grand Slam semi-final last year in Melbourne, but finished 2019 by winning the prestigious ATP Finals.
After a stuttering start in Paris when he trailed Spain’s Jaume Munar by two sets, Tsitsipas has been blemish-free, winning 15 straight sets, though one was not completed after Aljaz Bedene retired injured in the third round.
Tsitsipas will need his renowned shooting skills to break through Djokovic’s wall, however, whether the Serb is in top form or not. He’s done it twice before at Masters 1000 events, but has never met Djokovic on a Grand Slam stage.
Surprisingly, Djokovic’s only “loss” in 36 games this year was his fault, but he will be wary of a player hungry for his Grand Slam breakthrough.
“He has really been playing the tennis of his life for the last 12 months,” Djokovic said. “Winning the World Tour Finals, just being very consistent on all surfaces with his results.
“I expect a really tough game.”
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, edited by Ed Osmond)
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