Novak Djokovic advances to the French Open semi-finals, overcoming Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-6 (7/0), 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday. This win brings Djokovic closer to a possible face-off with world number one, Carlos Alcaraz.
The Serbian tennis star aims for his third French Open victory and an unprecedented 23rd men’s Grand Slam singles title. This success also marks Djokovic’s 45th major semi-final appearance and his 12th in Roland Garros.
Read: Novak Djokovic Triumphs in French Open First Round, Sets Sights on 23rd Grand Slam
The upcoming semi-finals could see Djokovic compete against either Alcaraz or Stefanos Tsitsipas, who Djokovic defeated in the 2021 final after trailing by two sets.
Despite losing his first set in the tournament to Khachanov, Djokovic made a commanding comeback in the second-set tie-break, claiming his ninth victory in ten encounters with the Russian 11th seed.
Reflecting on the match, Djokovic admitted, “I think he was a better player for most of the first two sets. I was struggling to find my rhythm. I came into the match quite slow but played a perfect tie-break and from that moment onwards played a couple of levels higher.”
Djokovic, who halted Khachanov’s progress to a third consecutive Grand Slam semi-final, now carries a 90-16 record at Roland Garros. He can reclaim the world’s number-one spot if he triumphs in Paris.
