Novak Djokovic advanced to the French Open’s fourth round for the 16th straight year with a commanding 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over qualifier Filip Misolic on Saturday night, in a match frequently interrupted by cheers and fireworks from nearby Paris Saint-Germain fans celebrating their club’s historic 5-0 Champions League triumph over Inter Milan in Munich.
Djokovic had hoped to avoid a scheduling clash with the final so he could watch the football match on TV, but instead faced the raucous atmosphere from Court Philippe-Chatrier, just blocks away from PSG’s stadium.
“It was interesting. The crowd was really following the game. And I could hear when they scored. It was way too many times that they were celebrating,” Djokovic said about the spectators in the Chatrier stands. “I was like, ‘Wow, this is a lot of goals from Paris! What’s going on?’ Now I heard it’s 5-0. Quite a result, to be honest.”
During one lengthy tennis point in the third set, some shouts accompanied PSG’s fourth goal, and afterward, the chair umpire asked the tennis spectators to keep it down, drawing boos and whistles in response.
“Night sessions are always different. They’re always louder. The people are always more excited. Everything is always loud and different from a day session,” Djokovic said, who has won all nine sets he’s played so far in this year’s tournament. “I knew I was going to have to be scheduled once to play at night. And it’s OK. It’s fine. I mean, I would be watching football, for sure. ... (PSG) won it for the first time, so I don’t know how we’re all going to go back to our hotels. It’s going to be quite a journey. Quite an adventure. But I think we are in for a long celebration and probably not much sleep tonight. It’s a fun night to be in Paris, I guess.”
Djokovic has never lost to anyone ranked as low as No. 153 Misolic at a Grand Slam tournament, and this one was never really in doubt. There was just a slight delay before he took control: In the second game, with Misolic serving, Djokovic held seven break points—and failed to convert any.
That made it 1-all. But Djokovic kept accumulating break chances and eventually cashed in on his 10th to lead 4-2. That was essentially that.
Against a man 15 years his junior, who was appearing in only his second Grand Slam tournament, the 38-year-old Djokovic made only 14 unforced errors, compared to 33 winners, and saved the only break point he faced.
“Solid when I needed to be,” Djokovic said. “There’s always something to improve. Something to get better at. But overall, I have to be pleased with the level of tennis so far.”
He improved his career record at the French Open to 99-16, equaling his number of match wins at the Australian Open.
He’s won three of his 24 major championships in Paris. A year ago in a fourth-round victory, Djokovic tore the meniscus in his right knee and needed to withdraw from the tournament before his next match.
This time, Djokovic will try to reach the quarterfinals by beating Cameron Norrie on Monday. Djokovic is 5-0 against Norrie, including a win at the Geneva Open the week before the French Open en route to the Serb’s 100th career trophy.
“He’s a big fighter. He’s a grinder,” Djokovic said, referring to Norrie, whom he beat in the 2022 Wimbledon semifinals. “Cameron is known for that on the tour.”
