The first point of the fifth set sums up the match that Novak Djokovic has just experienced.
A slide, a fall with your stomach on the ground, but finally a head and legs strong enough to play on the ground, get up and win the point, six racket strokes later.
The Serbian lost his first two sets of the fortnight on Monday against the Italian nugget Lorenzo Musetti but he will see the quarter-finals.
"Nole" won in five sets at the end of a sometimes sumptuous duel, which unfortunately ended with the abandonment of the Italian (6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 6-0, 4-0).
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In front of a conquered short Philippe-Chatrier, Novak Djokovic first fished in the key points, the “rallies” always ending in the baggage of the Transalpine, amazing consistency and serenity for his first Grand Slam.
Only, two tie-breaks and 2 hours and 21 minutes of play later, the match was completely overturned.
From a high-level duel, the meeting has shifted to correction.
No more unforced errors (20 in the first set, 15 in the second), especially backhand, Djokovic side.
For his part, Lorenzo Musetti began to falter.
He gave up the third and fourth sets in three quarters of an hour before forfeiting 4-0 in the last set, visibly affected in the adductors and the pubis.
Djokovic slips but wins the point!
What reactivity of the Serbian!
He loses his support, plays a ball on the ground and wins the rally!
#RolandGarros
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Djokovic will challenge another Italian on Wednesday, in the person of Marco Berrettini, ninth player in the world, and exempted from the round of 16 thanks to the forfeit of Roger Federer.
More information to follow.