Novak Djokovic reaches Paris quarter-finals in ominous fashion
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Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns against Germany's Dominik Koepfer during their Paris Olympics third-round match at Roland Garros.
PHOTO: AFP
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PARIS – Novak Djokovic reached the Olympic singles quarter-finals for a record fourth time by beating Germany’s Dominik Koepfer 7-5, 6-3 on July 31, but looked in the mood to go much deeper in the tournament.
For all his 24 Grand Slam titles and countless other accolades, the Games have never been especially kind to the 37-year-old Serb for whom a bronze medal remains his only souvenir.
Paris is most likely his last opportunity to fill the only unoccupied space in his bulging trophy cabinet, and so far everything is going entirely to plan at Roland Garros as he is yet to drop a set in three rounds.
“It is a great honour to represent my country at the Olympics. It is an incredible sporting event. We play Roland Garros every year in this stadium but the crowd, the atmosphere, the colours, everything is different. In a good way. The Olympic crowd is something different,” Djokovic said.
“People from all over the world come to support their athletes... there are so many different nations and nationalities and it is beautiful to see. We are all celebrating sport and I am glad to still stay in the tournament.”
After the emotions of his previous-round victory against his clay-court nemesis Rafael Nadal, the atmosphere on a muggy Court Philippe-Chatrier was sedate as the Serb comfortably dispatched Koepfer after some initial trouble.
The German needed medical treatment early in the second set and his resistance quickly faded as Djokovic recorded his 16th career singles win at the Olympics – the most by any player since tennis returned to the Games in 1988.
Next up for him is Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, who made the last eight by beating Argentina’s Sebastian Baez.
“I don’t expect anything less than a big fight and a tight match. The goal is to get to the final and have a battle for that gold,” Djokovic added.
Over on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz defeated Individual Neutral Athlete Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-2 and will next take on American Tommy Paul, who beat Corentin Moutet of France.
In the later game on the same court, four-time Roland Garros winner Iga Swiatek reached the women’s semi-finals after Danielle Collins of the United States retired, with the Pole leading 6-1, 2-6, 4-1.
Earlier on July 30, Andy Murray cried “happy tears” after he delayed his retirement from tennis with another thrilling Olympic doubles victory with Dan Evans where they saved match points for the second successive round.
The duo beat Belgium’s Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 6-3, 6-7 (8-10), 11-9 to qualify for the quarter-finals, where they meet either American pair of Taylor Fritz and Paul or Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands.
They saved two match points in the final-set tiebreak, two days after they had saved five match points in their opening-round win.
“It’s obviously unbelievably emotional and happy. And then for whatever reason, I don’t know what happened. It was like happy tears, I don’t know why,” said Murray, 37, who sank in his chair and buried his head in his hands.
Murray, who has claimed three singles Grand Slam titles and pocketed two Olympic singles gold medals, will retire once his Paris campaign is over. REUTERS, AFP
