December 30, 2024

French Open 2021: Djokovic a set down to Musetti, Nadal also in action – live!

Musetti #Musetti

9.45am EDT 09:45

Second-set tiebreak: Djokovic 1-5 Musetti The Italian grabs an early point on the Djokovic serve, then follows it up with some absurd defensive work, and a looping lob that somehow clips the baseline. Djokovic then goes long, and Musetti is 4-0 up! Djokovic pulls one back, and should bury the next point, but he lets Musetti back in and pays the price … It’s five-one at the change of ends.

9.41am EDT 09:41

Second set: Djokovic 6-7, 6-6 Musetti It’s a nerveless love-hold from Djokovic, and we’re heading for another tie-break …

9.39am EDT 09:39

Second set: *Djokovic 6-7, 5-6 Musetti Thanks, Gregg. You would expect Djokovic to turn up the heat here, but it’s still very scrappy from the world No 1 and Musetti holds comfortably, aided by an absolute ripper of a cross-court winner that has Djokovic shaking his head in disbelief.

9.35am EDT 09:35

Second set: Djokovic 6-7, 5-5 Musetti* This is a strong hold for Djokovic under intense pressure. He’s still struggling to land his first serve as regularly as he’d like but some good craft in the rallies forces his younger opponent to swipe long. A bad miss at the net by the world No 1 makes it a bit more nervy than he’d like but he holds to 30 with an overhead smash. I’ll hand back to Niall now. Thanks.

9.30am EDT 09:30

Second set: *Djokovic 6-7, 4-5 Musetti Excellent again from Musetti. Djokovic pounces on a weak second serve to level the game at 30-30. Musetti responds with a deep forehand that Djokovic handles like it’s a grenade, landing it limply back centre court, where Musetti smashes it into the corner before finding another winner to take the game. Djokovic will have to serve to stay in the second set.

9.26am EDT 09:26

Second set: Djokovic 6-7, 4-4 Musetti* Struff is battling to stay in the match against Diego Schwartzman on Suzanne-Lenglen. He trails 4-3 but it’s on serve. Back on Philippe-Chatrier there’s a delightful little rally at the net that Musetti wins to get back into this game at 30-30. Musetti pounces on Djokovic’s second serve to dominate the following rally before hammering an overhand winner into the corner to bring up a break point. He can’t take it though, hitting long when he was in a good position mid-rally. The world No 1 keeps his composure, sending his much younger opponent running for errands to hold.

9.19am EDT 09:19

Second set: *Djokovic 6-7, 3-4 Musetti Musetti holds to 30 to get his head in front again in this entertaining second set. He varied his serve well and gave little away for Djokovic to attack.

9.15am EDT 09:15

Second set: Djokovic 6-7, 3-3 Musetti* This is so good! Djokovic uses all his experience to give the 19-year-old the runaround with some feather-fingered drop shots to lead 30-0. Musetti responds with some improvisation by dinking a winner back the way it came and then a jabbed backhand past his opponent to level at 30-30. He then clatters a forehand into the corner to bring up another break point. What chutzpah! Djokovic holds his nerve though, landing three first serves to hold and level the set.

9.08am EDT 09:08

Second set: *Djokovic 6-7, 2-3 Musetti But Djokovic bounces back! Musetti is wild in this game and the No 1 seed keeps his composure to break him to love.

9.06am EDT 09:06

Second set: Djokovic 6-7, 1-3 Musetti* Over on Suzanne-Lenglen, Diego Schwartzman has raced into a 3-0 lead in the third set and looks like he’ll be booking his place in the quarter-finals. Back on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Djokovic has been broken again! Djokovic’s first serve was off and his second serve was a gift for Musetti, who battered it back and took control of the game. Djokovic is in real trouble.

8.59am EDT 08:59

Second set: *Djokovic 6-7, 1-2 Musetti What a game that was! After going 0-30 behind, Musetti produces a wonderful drop shot and an incredible half-volley to level up at 30-30. Djokovic’s head droops and Musetti pounds his way to a 2-1 lead in the second set.

8.53am EDT 08:53

Second set: Djokovic 6-7, 1-1 Musetti* Thanks Niall. Djokovic is continuing to make hard work of all he does. He hammers a lame backhand into the net to go 15-30 behind but digs deep and rallies to level up the second set by holding to 30.

8.49am EDT 08:49

Second set: *Djokovic 6-7, 0-1 Musetti The teenager carries on as before in the second set, gliding in behind a drop shot and flicking it away to seal a comfortable hold.

On Suzanne-Lenglen, Diego Schwartzman has taken the second set against Struff, and leads 7-6, 6-4. With that, I’ll hand over to Gregg Bakowski …

8.46am EDT 08:46

“Wow, Musetti is the real deal,” says Luke Forrester. “Still only a teenager but very much Djokovic’s equal in this match so far. Keeping this up for a best-of-five will probably be too much for him at this stage in his career but he’s a real prospect.”

He has hit a lot of very stylish winners, but equally impressive has been the points where he has ground something out. He just looks very comfortable out there.

8.44am EDT 08:44

Musetti wins the first set 7-6 (9-7)! Good grief. Musetti digs in, keeping himself in the rally, and then unleashes a cross-court winner. He’s taken the first set, and deservedly so. What a performance so far!

8.42am EDT 08:42

First-set tiebreak: Djokovic 7-8 Musetti Djokovic saves it by a millimetre, clipping the line with an awkward, rangy forehand. On serve, Djokovic goes for a winner down the line – and misses. Another set point for Musetti, this time on serve – but Djokovic saves with a clinical drop shot. Musetti responds, scrambling through the next rally to earn a third set point …

8.37am EDT 08:37

First-set tiebreak: Djokovic 5-6 Musetti Djokovic leaves a return short and Musetti pummels it away for a winner. Can he get back on serve? He can, winning a strange point amid moon balls and mishits from Djokovic. The No 1 tries a cross-court slice but Musetti reads it, and gets a set point as Djokovic nets!

8.33am EDT 08:33

First-set tiebreak: Djokovic 4-2 Musetti The Italian has an 8-0 career record in tie breaks. Can he make it nine? Djokovic edges ahead with a drop shot that spins off at a right angle, then muffs a routine return. He does enough on his next two points, on serve, to open a three-point lead. Musetti responds by ripping a backhand down the line!

8.28am EDT 08:28

First set: Djokovic 6-6 Musetti Djokovic can only chuckle to himself as Musetti lands a looping cross-court winner from an impossible angle. A big serve out wide seals a hold to 15, and it’s tie-break time …

Updated at 8.28am EDT

8.24am EDT 08:24

First set: Djokovic 6-5 Musetti* (*denotes next server) A lovely angled return puts Musetti 15-30 up, but Djokovic quickly closes the door. Can the Italian force a tie-break?

8.19am EDT 08:19

First set: *Djokovic 5-5 Musetti (*denotes next server) At 30-all, Djokovic looks primed to pounce – but a change of pace from Musetti gets the job done. The No 1 seed not firing on all cylinders yet.

8.15am EDT 08:15

First set: Djokovic 5-4 Musetti* (*denotes next server) A quickfire hold to love for Djokovic, cranking up the heat on his opponent. Over on Lenglen, Schwartzman and Struff are locked at 2-2 in the second. That one might take a while.

8.13am EDT 08:13

First set: *Djokovic 4-4 Musetti (*denotes next server) Musetti races to 40-0, going for his shots and making them, but then tries to be a little too ambitious, a series of narrow misses allowing Djokovic back in. At deuce, Djokovic thinks he has this figured out – but Musetti surprises him again, grinding out two long rallies to hold.

8.05am EDT 08:05

First set: Djokovic 4-3 Musetti* (*denotes next server) Musetti holds serve, playing with a flair and freedom that has Djokovic a little rattled. In the next game, a peach of a backhand volley has Djokovic applauding, but he’s less charitable on the other points, holding to 15.

Novak Djokovic in fourth round action. Photograph: Javier García/BPI/REX/Shutterstock

Updated at 8.43am EDT

8.00am EDT 08:00

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Elena Rybakina face each other in the singles quarter-finals on Tuesday. This afternoon, they’re teaming up in the women’s doubles. It’s unusual preparation, that’s for sure.

7.58am EDT 07:58

Switching focus back to Chatrier, where Djokovic is being made to work hard by Musetti. The Italian is covering a lot of ground – even stumbling over an advertising board at one point – and takes Djokovic to deuce. His variety of shots is causing problems – and he gets the break back as Djokovic sends a backhand into the net! Back on serve, Djokovic 3-2 up.

7.57am EDT 07:57

Out on court 12, Alfie Hewett has taken the first set against Shingo Kunieda in the men’s wheelchair final. Hewett won the men’s doubles with Gordon Reid on Sunday, and is a set away from a double slam triumph.

7.51am EDT 07:51

Schwartzman wins the first set 7-6 (11-9)! It’s just not meant to be for Struff, who had his first set points some 40 minutes ago. First, his return clips the net cord and drops the wrong side – then Schwartzman’s backhand does the same, and loops over the net. He’s won the set from 5-1 down, saving (I think) seven set points on the way.

7.50am EDT 07:50

Back on Chatrier, Djokovic has taken charge of the first set, breaking Musetti to lead 3-1.

7.48am EDT 07:48

Schwartzman and Struff are locked in a tie-break that either player will be sorely disappointed to lose. Both players miss set points and stay locked together at 9-9 …

7.39am EDT 07:39

Musetti holds his first service game, closing out with a hefty ace straight down the middle.

7.38am EDT 07:38

Into a tie-break on Lenglen, and Schwartzman races into a 3-0 lead – then has a wobble of his own as unforced errors allow Struff back to 3-3 …

7.36am EDT 07:36

Musetti has beaten David Goffin and Marco Cecchinato, conqueror of Djokovic in 2018, on his way to the last 16. He makes quite the start here, pounding a winner down the line on Djokovic’s first service point. He takes the world No 1 to deuce but Djokovic scraps his way through, finding the power to keep Musetti on the back foot.

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