Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credit: CLIVE MASON / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / Getty Images via AFP 16:59 p.m., June 04, 2023

Victorious over Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas, Novak Djokovic reached the quarters of Roland-Garros for the 17th time in its history, a record for a tennis player. He was previously tied with Spain's Rafael Nadal, who has reached this stage of the competition 16 times.

Novak Djokovic qualified Sunday for the quarterfinals of Roland-Garros by dominating the Peruvian Juan-Pablo Varillas (94th in the world) 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 and reaches this stage of the tournament for the 17th time, new record. Rafael Nadal has played 16 quarters in the Paris Major he has won 14 times, as Djokovic aims for a third title to bring the record for Grand Slam titles to 23. The Serb, 3rd in the world at 36, is about to play his 55th quarter-final in a Grand Slam tournament (the record of 58 is held by Roger Federer and Nadal has 47). He has always reached the quarters in Paris since 2010.

>> READ ALSO – Roland-Garros 2023: the Belarusian Sabalenka exempted, at his request, from a press conference

Khachanov on the Serbian road

To reach the last square, where the long-awaited duel against the world number 1 and another big favorite of the tournament Carlos Alcaraz could occur, he will first have to dismiss Tuesday the Russian Karen Khachanov (11th), who eliminated the Italian Lorenzo Sonego (48th) 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9/7), 6-1.

Varillas was playing for the third time in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament and had never won a match in such a tournament. He was the first Peruvian to reach the 8th finals at Roland-Garros since Jaime Yzaga in 1994.