DUBAI – Novak Djokovic is hoping Paris 2024 will be his most successful Olympics yet, as he continues to chase the gold medal that has eluded him.
After notching a 6-2, 6-3 win over Dutch world No. 39 Tallon Griekspoor on Wednesday to reach the Dubai Tennis Championship quarter-finals, the world No. 1 said he is banking on his familiarity with the Roland Garros clay to help him win the quadrennial event.
“I hope that I’ll be able to play healthy for next year’s Paris Olympics,” said the Serb, whose best Games showing came in 2008, when he won the singles’ bronze.
“It’s going to be played on clay at Roland Garros, I’m familiar with those grounds, so I hope that the best Olympic result for me will come there.”
Two of Djokovic’s 22 Grand Slam titles have come on the French Open surface, in 2016 and 2021.
The Serb on Thursday faced Sunday’s Marseille champion Hubert Hurkacz for a place in the semi-finals, with the result unavailable at press time.
Defending champion Andrey Rublev also reached the last eight in the United Arab Emirates. But he thought he had run out of extra lives when he stared down five straight match points at 6-1 down in the second-set tiebreak against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
The Russian, however, reeled off seven points in a row to force a decider, then squeezed past Davidovich Fokina 1-6, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-3) to book a quarter-final date with Botic van de Zandschulp.
It was the third time this season that Rublev has saved match points en route to victory, having also done so against Holger Rune in the Australian Open fourth round and Griekspoor in Doha last week.
“I don’t even have any emotions now because in my head, the match was done,” said the 25-year-old. “When you’re three times lucky... it’s like, how many more Christmas presents can I have there?“
Third-seeded Daniil Medvedev, winner in Rotterdam and Doha in recent weeks, claimed an 11th straight win by beating Alexander Bublik 6-4, 6-2 to set up a clash with Borna Coric.
World No. 67 Lorenzo Sonego upset fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 for his first top-10 win of the season and fifth of his career.
But he lost 7-5, 6-4 to German seventh seed Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel reached the last eight of the ATP 500 Mexican Open by ousting world No. 4 Casper Ruud 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) on Wednesday.
The 125th-ranked Daniel saved two match points to prevail in two hours and 58 minutes and set up a last-eight clash with eighth seed Alex de Minaur, who breezed past Italian Jacopo Berrettini 6-1, 6-0.
Others who reached the last eight included Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Mackenzie McDonald and Jacopo’s older brother Matteo.
Fritz beat Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 6-4 while Paul overcame Michael Mmoh, who was forced to withdraw because of an injury while trailing 6-4, 2-2.
McDonald routed Brandon Nakashima 6-2, 6-0 and Berrettini defeated Elias Ymer 6-3, 6-3. AFP, XINHUA
