Djokovic fights rust to remain alive at French
PARIS — Novak Djokovic is shaking off the rust of his enforced absence from the tour with an elbow injury.
The 2016 champion beat 13thseeded Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 6-4, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (4), 6-2, in a near four-hour match too sluggish for Djokovic’s liking in the third round of the French Open on Friday. After losing a point during the second-set tiebreaker, the 20th-seeded Djokovic angrily whacked his racket into the clay.
“He plays with a lot of patience,” he said of Agut, “too much for me.”
Djokovic’s fourth-round opponent is Fernando Verdasco. The 30th seed from Spain beat fourth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov, a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist, 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-4.
Alexander Zverev is climbing the short-list of players who could thwart Rafael Nadal’s quest for a record-extending 11th French Open title.
Despite having never played a five-set match at Roland Garros before this year, the second-seeded German has shown mettle and a cool head to win two of them backto-back. He is into the fourth round for the first time.
Zverev saved a match point in a 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5 win over Damir Dzumhur. The victory was the 21-year-old German’s first on Court Philippe Chatrier, and he immediately got a taste for it.
“Hopefully many more to come,” he said in his post-match on-court interview.
In the women’s draw, second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki breezed past French wild-card entry Pauline Parmentier 6-0, 6-3. Madison Keys, ranked No. 13 also advanced with a 6-1, 7-6 (7) win over Naomi Osaka.