Djokovic eyes 15th successive French Open quarter-final

Sabalenka through

FE Team | Published: June 04, 2024 00:28:28

Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka celebrates after winning her women's singles round of sixteen match against US Emma Navarro on Court Philippe-Chatrier on day nine of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros Complex in Paris on Monday — AFP

PARIS, June 03 (AFP): Novak Djokovic will aim to reach his 15th successive French Open quarter-final on Monday after setting an unwanted Roland Garros record, while Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina eased through in the women's draw.
Defending champion and 24-time Grand Slam title winner Djokovic made the last 16 by defeating Italy's Lorenzo Musetti in a bruising five-set epic which concluded at 3:07 a.m. Sunday.
It was the latest ever finish at Roland Garros.
"I think certain things could have been handled differently," said the 37-year-old Djokovic.
"There is a certain beauty in winning the match at three in the morning if it is the last of the tournament, but this wasn't the case."
On Monday, three-time French Open champion Djokovic faces Argentine 23rd seed Francisco Cerundolo for a place in the last eight.
In the women's tournament, world number two Sabalenka, who was a semi-finalist in 2023 and has made at least the last four at her past six Grand Slams, proved far too strong for American 22nd seed Emma Navarro.
The Belarusian raced into the quarters, hammering 36 winners during a 6-2, 6-3 success in only 69 minutes.