Paris (AFP)

Novak Djokovic qualified for the quarter-finals at Roland Garros on Monday, but the world No.1 was jostled by the young Italian hopeful Lorenzo Musetti (76th) who won the first two sets before giving up in the fifth while it was down 6-7 (7/9), 6-7 (2/7), 6-1, 6-0, 4-0.

"I was more nervous at the start of the match than leading two sets to zero, assured the Serbian. I was tense, I could not cross the ball, I made a lot of unforced errors. But after the loss of the second set, I went out to change and when I came back I was another player. "

"I made fewer mistakes and I played as I should have done from the start. And then when I saw that he was starting to suffer at the start of the fourth set, it over-motivated me," he said. he adds.

2020 finalist, Djokovic is aiming for a 19th Grand Slam title to get closer to the record of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (20), and will face another Italian, Matteo Berrettini (9th) in the quarterfinals.

The latter benefited from the package in the 8th of Roger Federer who announced Sunday his withdrawal from the tournament to preserve himself physically for the grass season and his main goal, Wimbledon (June 28 - July 11).

- Musetti dared -

From the start of the match, Musetti announced the color by winning the first two points, on the service of the Serbian.

Then he responded tit for tat when Djokovic made the break (3-1), picking up in stride.

By playing his luck, using his power as efficiently as his touch of the ball, the 19-year-old Italian kept the Serbian in check and was able to push him to the tie break in the first two sets.

The match is then so close, the players flirt with the lines so much, that the referee is forced to do a lot of gymnastics to get off his chair, run to check the marks, possibly discuss his decision, and get back on his perch as quickly as possible. .

In the first tie break, Djokovic seemed to quickly gain the upper hand (4-1), but Musetti came back to 4-4.

He then took the lead, forcing the Serbian to save two set points before giving in on the third.

The Italian took the lead in the second set: he broke 2-1 to break away 3-1, but Djokovic immediately caught up.

The two players thus arrived at the second decisive game of the game and this time, Musetti was quickly detached 4-0 to not let go.

- Toggle -

But the game then changed and Musetti suddenly seemed overwhelmed.

Djokovic won 16 of the following 17 games and even 65 of the 83 points played until the Italian threw in the towel, for some reason immediately.

The match had started at 3:29 a.m.

"I like to play young people in five sets because even leading two sets to zero, I know that I am physically good and that with my experience I can turn the game around," assured the 34-year-old Serb.

The winner of the Djokovic-Berrettini game on Wednesday is set to face Nadal in the semi-finals.

The Spaniard is opposed Monday in the 8th to Jannik Sinner (19th), before a quarter against Diego Schwartzman (10th) who eliminated Monday Jan-Lennard Struff (42nd) 7-6 (11/9), 6-4, 7- 5.

© 2021 AFP