December 27, 2024

French Open: Djokovic rallies to beat Musetti, Kenin and Nadal in action – live!

Djokovic #Djokovic

11.34am EDT 11:34

First set: Nadal 2-0 Sinner* Nadal cruises to an opening hold and quickly turns the screw on Sinner, earning a break point and converting it as his opponent sends a forehand high into the Paris sky.

11.31am EDT 11:31

Before we focus on Nadal v Sinner, a word on the women’s draw. Defending champion Iga Swiatek, who plays her fourth-round match tonight, is the only top-16 seed left. Here’s the quarter-final draw:

[24] Gauff v Krejcikova[17] Sakkari v Kostyuk/Swiatek [8][21] Rybakina v Pavlyuchenkova [31]Zidansek v Badosa [33]

11.27am EDT 11:27

Some news for you. Naomi Osaka will miss the WTA grass-court tournament in Berlin, casting doubt on whether she will play at Wimbledon.

11.25am EDT 11:25

Time for the final match of the afternoon session, over on Court Philippe-Chatrier. It’s Rafa Nadal v Jannik Sinner …

11.24am EDT 11:24

Maria Sakkari beats Sofia Kenin 6-1, 6-3!

Kenin moves to 40-15 up, and Sakkari is feeling the pressure – but a couple of big winners get her back to deuce. Sakkari stays on the front foot and grinds out a match point – and Kenin overcooks a forehand! Last year’s finalist is out.

11.18am EDT 11:18

Sakkari slips 0-30 behind, nerves creeping in, but finds an ace and a deep volley to get back to 30-all. Kenin forces her back on the next point, though, and Sakkari double-faults. Comeback on? It’s 6-1, 5-3 …

11.14am EDT 11:14

Kenin has not turned up today – she’s served nine double faults and made 29 unforced errors. She labours through her service game, but will at least force Sakkari to serve it out at 6-1, 5-2.

11.08am EDT 11:08

Kenin edges to 15-30 but more unforced errors cost her, and Sakkari closes out the hold with a big ace down the middle.

11.06am EDT 11:06

Let’s check in with events over on Lenglen, where Sofia Kenin v Maria Sakkari promised to be one of the day’s closest contests. It’s not gone that way at all; Sakkari is 6-1, 4-1 up and serving to move a game away.

11.04am EDT 11:04

There’s no on-court interview because Musetti retired from the match. It was a sad ending for the teenager, but he showed everyone what he’s capable of in the first two sets. Djokovic will be glad to have turned things around so fast; his next opponent, Matteo Berrettini, got a walkover into the last eight after Roger Federer pulled out.

10.59am EDT 10:59

Novak Djokovic beats Lorenzo Musetti 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 6-0, 4-0 (ret)

Musetti can hardly move now, and as Djokovic seals his 13th game in a row, the Italian throws in the towel. What a strange game that was, but the world No 1 has come through it.

Lorenzo Musetti embraces Novak Djokovic of Serbia after he retires through injury. Photograph: Adam Pretty/Getty Images

Updated at 11.08am EDT

10.54am EDT 10:54

Fifth set: *Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 6-0, 3-0 Musetti Musetti is also struggling with a groin problem, and getting moved back and forth and side to side is proving too much. It’s another break, and the Italian’s target now is probably just to win another game.

10.52am EDT 10:52

Fifth set: Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 6-0, 2-0 Musetti* Credit to Musetti, he’s still out there fighting, trying different things – but with little success, as Djokovic holds to 15. This match reminds me a little of Murray v Nalbandian at Wimbledon back in 2005, when Murray was outstanding in the first two sets but just didn’t have the legs for a five-set match.

10.46am EDT 10:46

Fifth set: *Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 6-0, 1-0 Musetti Back comes Lorenzo Musetti. Whatever has gone before, he’s in a one-set shootout now. Djokovic stops for treatment on a finger cut, and winces a little after winning a long rally. Musetti finds a nice cross-court angle but Djokovic is reading everything now. Double break point, and Musetti goes for a winner that’s close – but not close enough.

10.40am EDT 10:40

Maria Sakkari wins the first set 6-1! Kenin thought she had a foothold in her first set against Maria Sakkari, getting a break back – but the Greek immediately restores her four-game cushion, breaking Kenin for a third time with a double-handed overhead smash. Sakkari seals a love-hold with a drop shot, and is well on track for her first ever slam quarter-final appearance.

10.37am EDT 10:37

Musetti takes a medical timeout, heading off court with the physio. He looked jaded in that fourth set, but getting absolutely rinsed will do that to you.

10.34am EDT 10:34

Djokovic wins fourth set 6-0 to level the match!

Utterly routine for Djokovic, who has pulled back two sets in around 40 minutes. Each of the first two sets lasted more than an hour. Has Musetti got anything left in the tank? We’ll find out.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic plays a return to Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti. Photograph: Michel Euler/AP

Updated at 10.37am EDT

10.31am EDT 10:31

On Suzanne-Lenglen, Sofia Kenin is in big trouble early on – she’s 4-0 down to Maria Sakkari in the first set.

10.29am EDT 10:29

Fourth set: *Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 5-0 Musetti He does get on the board on his first service point – just the 10th point he’s won since claiming the second set. He works his way to 40-15, then Djokovic slaps a backhand return down the line. Deuce, then break point as a drop shot gives Musetti too much to do. He repeats the trick, and it’s five-love Djokovic.

10.26am EDT 10:26

Fourth set: Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 4-0 Musetti* It’s another Djokovic hold to love, and Musetti hasn’t won a single point in this set yet.

10.24am EDT 10:24

Fourth set: *Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 3-0 Musetti I know Djokovic is the world No 1, and Lorenzo Musetti is in uncharted slam territory – but I can’t recall a match turning around this fast. Musetti is broken to love again, barely able to get a racket on anything and looking completely defeated.

10.21am EDT 10:21

Fourth set: Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 2-0 Musetti* Djokovic rattles through a service hold to love; he’s won 24 of the last 27 points.

Updated at 10.21am EDT

10.19am EDT 10:19

Fourth set: *Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 1-0 Musetti Just as Djokovic has improved, Musetti has lost his way, and he opens the fourth set with an error-strewn service game. Djokovic, giving nothing away cheaply now, powers to a break to love. It’s fair to say the momentum has shifted.

Updated at 10.21am EDT

10.17am EDT 10:17

In case you missed it earlier, Coco Gauff raced past Ons Jabeur to reach her first slam quarter-final. She will face the Czech, Barbora Krejcikova, who beat Sloane Stephens so comprehensively that she’s already back on court in the mixed doubles.

10.15am EDT 10:15

Djokovic wins third set 6-1, trails 2-1!

Musetti goes long from a big Djokovic serve, and the Serb has cut the deficit in a 23-minute set. The next few games feel like they will be pivotal.

10.13am EDT 10:13

Third set: *Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 5-1 Musetti Is Musetti starting to think about the next set? Yes, would seem to be the answer, as Djokovic secures the double break. He’ll serve for the third set, which has lasted barely 20 minutes.

10.12am EDT 10:12

Over on Suzanne-Lenglen last year’s finalist, Sofia Kenin, is about to get under way against Greece’s Maria Sakkari. A potential final rematch with Iga Swiatek awaits in the next round; the champion plays Marta Kostyuk in the evening game.

10.09am EDT 10:09

Third set: Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 4-1 Musetti* Djokovic has shaken off the weird funk from the first two sets and is now dominating the points. A test of Musetti’s resolve here; can he keep finding ways to trouble the world No 1?

10.07am EDT 10:07

Third set: *Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 3-1 Musetti A welcome hold for Musetti to get on the board in this third set.

10.06am EDT 10:06

A word for Britain’s Alfie Hewett, who has seen off Shingo Kunieda 6-3, 6-4 in the men’s wheelchair final to win his second straight French Open, and his fifth singles slam overall. Hewett also won the men’s doubles final on Sunday with partner Gordon Reid. Chapeau, Alfie.

Alfie Hewett celebrates victory on Court 12. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

10.03am EDT 10:03

Third set: Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 3-0 Musetti* Djokovic looks a much tougher prospect now, his forehand cleaner and movement sharper. Musetti keeps him guessing with some elegant drop shots, but it’s a comfortable hold.

9.59am EDT 09:59

Third set: *Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 2-0 Musetti This looks more like the Djokovic we know, springing around the court, throwing his hands up theatrically as Musetti finds the baseline, and closing down a drop shot to set up break point. He takes it as Musetti fires an ambitious cross-courter wide!

9.55am EDT 09:55

Third set: Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 1-0 Musetti* (*denotes next server) A welcome, trouble-free hold for Djokovic, who hasn’t found his A-game at all so far.

Updated at 9.58am EDT

9.51am EDT 09:51

Schwartzman beats Struff 7-6 (9), 6-4, 7-5!

Diego Schwartzman comes through a three-hour slugfest with Jan-Lennard Struff, who missed seven set points in the opener and never really recovered. Next up for Schwartzman: Rafa Nadal or Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals.

9.48am EDT 09:48

Musetti leads Djokovic by two sets to love!

Djokovic skews a half-hearted volley wide to present Musetti with five set points. He takes the second one with a serve out wide. Djokovic promptly heads to the dressing room to gather his thoughts. This is really on now!

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic during his fourth round match against Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti. Photograph: Christian Hartmann/Reuters

Updated at 9.56am EDT

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.

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