Novak Djokovic is one step closer to claiming his 23rd Grand Slam title after a crushing defeat of Juan Pablo Varillas in the French Open on Sunday. Djokovic, currently tied with Rafael Nadal with 22 major titles, easily defeated his 94th-ranked opponent without being dragged into lengthy baseline battles. Varillas had previously won all of his three previous rounds in five-set marathons. Djokovic’s dominant performance saw him attack Varillas at every opportunity, winning the vast majority of shorter rallies. Djokovic’s next opponent will be No. 11 Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinals.
Djokovic Sets Records in 14th Straight Quarterfinal Appearance at Roland Garros
The two-time champion in Paris, Djokovic has now reached the quarterfinals for a record 17th time, one more than Nadal, who missed the tournament this year and recently underwent hip surgery. Djokovic’s 14 straight quarterfinal appearances at Roland Garros also set a record for the most consecutive quarterfinals by a male player in the Open era (since 1968), according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Jimmy Connors reached 13 straight US Open quarterfinals from 1973 to 1985. Djokovic expressed his pride in achieving these records but acknowledged that it also means he is not young anymore.
Alcaraz Reaches Quarterfinals with Dominant Win Over Musetti
No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz reached the quarterfinals with a dominant win over No. 17 Lorenzo Musetti, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Musetti had previously been showing some of his best tennis in Paris but was too passive on Sunday, allowing Alcaraz to dominate with his firepower and grit. Alcaraz will face No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas or Sebastian Ofner in the quarterfinals, with the possibility of a Djokovic showdown looming. Alcaraz expressed his focus on enjoying himself, entertaining the crowd, and keeping thoughts of being world No. 1 and pressure out of his mind.
Khachanov Shows Resilience in Quarterfinals Qualification
Khachanov showed good resilience to down Italian Lorenzo Sonego 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7), 6-1 and reach the French Open quarterfinals for the second time. The Russian player struggled in the opening set before finding his range and using his forehand to devastating effect. Sonego wasted a 4-0 advantage in the third-set tiebreak, which proved to be the turning point. Khachanov is set to face Djokovic, who he is 0-2 in Grand Slams against, including a straight-sets loss in 2020, and 1-8 overall, losing their past seven meetings. Despite the tough task, Khachanov acknowledged Djokovic as one of the toughest opponents and that he cannot be counted out.
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