French Open: Djokovic Survives Epic Battle Against Musetti in Historic Late-Night Thriller

Defending champion and world No. 1 Novak Djokovic overcame a gruelling five-set marathon against Lorenzo Musetti in the latest finish ever recorded in French Open history.

The intense clash, which began at 10:40 pm local time on Saturday, concluded in the early hours of Sunday, just after 3 am.

Djokovic, renowned for his steely resolve, fought back from the brink of defeat to secure a remarkable 7-5, 6-7 (6-8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory over the 22-year-old Italian.

The match, lasting four hours and 29 minutes, shattered the previous record for the latest finish at Roland Garros, set at 1:26 am.

With this victory, Djokovic earned his 369th Grand Slam match win, tying Roger Federer at the top of the all-time list.

Reflecting on the match, Djokovic praised Musetti’s performance:

He played a fantastic match and came very close to victory. I was in great difficulty, but thanks to your support in the fourth set, I became a different player. It was perhaps the best match I have played here.

The 37-year-old Serbian faced an early setback, losing his serve in the first set. However, he managed to claw his way back, securing a crucial break to edge ahead.

The second set saw Djokovic in control with a 3-1 lead, thanks to a spectacular drop shot. Musetti, the 30th seed, responded by breaking back and eventually levelling the match after a high-quality tie-break.

In the third set, Musetti elevated his game, breaking Djokovic and comfortably taking the set, raising concerns for the world No. 1.

Despite his frustrations over the court surface and a time violation penalty in the deciding set, Djokovic found his rhythm to dominate Musetti, sealing the final set 6-0 in a display of utter dominance.

“Who’s going to sleep now?” after the match. “It’s impossible to sleep, so much adrenaline. If you’re having a party, I’m coming,” Djokovic remarked.

Looking ahead, Djokovic, a three-time Roland Garros champion, is set to face Argentine 23rd seed Francisco Cerundolo in the next round. The Serbian must reach the final to retain his No. 1 ranking.

However, should Jannik Sinner reach the final, he is guaranteed to become the 29th player to ascend to the top of the rankings since their inception in 1973.

SkySport

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