Djokovic sets up mega clash with Rafa
Novak Djokovic repelled a stirring fightback by Italian Matteo Berrettini to claim a 6-3 6-2 6-7(5) 7-5 victory on Wednesday to set up a mouth-watering semi-final showdown with defending champion Rafa Nadal.
Top seed Djokovic was given a mighty scare against Italian teenager Lorenzo Musetti on Monday, losing the first two sets, but seemed to be rolling towards a straightforward victory after moving two sets ahead against Berrettini.
Djokovic broke serve for a 3-1 lead in the first set and after Berrettini failed to convert a break point when trailing 4-2 the Serb sealed the opening set in routine fashion.
A clinical Djokovic cruised through the second set but Berrettini dug his heels in throughout the third set without managing to fashion a break point.
With the first night session crowd permitted getting behind the 25-year-old, Berrettini extended Djokovic into a tiebreak and bombed down a couple of aces and some venomous forehands.
Djokovic had the match on his racket at 5-4, however, but a couple of uncharacteristic errors gave Berrettini a set point that he converted with another thudding forehand.
Suddenly an energised Berrettini looked dangerous but the drama was halted as the 5,000 fans were ordered to leave in line with Paris’s 11pm COVID-19 curfew requirements when Djokovic led 3-2 on serve in the fourth set.
After a 25-minute delay, in which the players left Court Philippe
Chatrier, battle resumed in silence and despite a heavy fall which grazed his hand, Djokovic sensed his moment when Berrettini served at 5-6.
Djokovic vented his anger as Berrettini saved a second match point with a brutal forehand and he then produced a series of deafening roars aimed at his entourage after clinching the win at the third time of asking.
Meanwhile, the quarterfinal was delayed for about 22 minutes while thousands of spectators were cleared out of the stadium court because of an 11 pm coronavirus curfew. Pandemicrelated restrictions were loosened to allow 5,000 inside on Court Philippe-chatrier on Wednesday rather than the 1,000 for the previous matches, and it was quite an atmosphere until the rule was imposed.
“The conditions were strange with the fans here and then the atmosphere was a bit different (afterward),” Djokovic said after winning. “You have to find a different motivation because the energy from the fans is special.” Some disappointed fans jeered and even sang “We’ve paid, we’ll stay” as they refused to leave at 10:45 pm as curfew approached.
Shortly before 10:55 pm, both players packed their bags and walked off while fans shouted out in frustration. The topranked Djokovic was up 2-1 in sets and leading 3-2 in the fourth when play was halted. Berrettini waved to the crowd as they chanted his name shortly before the players departed. The bighitting Italian said he felt for them. He also felt some sting was taken out of his game. “I think it’s a shame, it’s something that I didn’t like. But it’s bigger than us,” he said.