Djokovic, on the rise and flawless in the Parisian 'party'
The Serbian, very motivated and hungry for much more, achieved a comfortable victory against an unknown opponent on a night marked by the football atmosphere in Paris.
Champions League final night for the Parisians and the first major European title for their local team, but also a golden opportunity to see Novak Djokovic shine once again on the Philippe Chatrier court. At 38 years old, it seems like everything remains the same for him when he appears in a Grand Slam. The Serbian is already in the round of 16 at Roland Garros after easily overcoming Mackenzie McDonald in the first match, Corentin Moutet in the second, and Filip Misolic in the third in 2 hours and 8 minutes (6-3 6-4 6-2). Despite putting in a great performance in the previous rounds and defeating Denis Shapovalov in the previous match, the Austrian was unable to trouble an inspired Djokovic.
However, Novak Djokovic's season so far has not been positive. He won his 100th title in Geneva and reached the semifinals at the Australian Open, but has suffered unexpected defeats against much lower-caliber opponents. This trend has prevented him from being considered the top favorite for the title, although one can never rule out the most decorated player in history. However, Roland Garros is a different story, where we see his best version on the court once again.
- From bad to better
Djokovic started the match with the ghost of pain in his shoulder very present; it seemed like he was still cold and not willing to take many physical risks. He tried to outplay Misolic from a level below his usual standard, overused some strategies like drop shots and a style that lacked physical intensity. When he saw that the Austrian was responding well, he stepped up his game, leading comfortably to a 6-3 victory in the second set.
From the beginning of the second set, a different Djokovic emerged, showing a higher level and facing a Misolic who, although lost his fear and put on a decent show, revealed a significant gap in level with Djokovic's decisive shots.
- Delight for the crowd
The fans were fully behind Djokovic in the match, and the beginning of the third set had some very exciting and fun points, igniting the crowd even more, which showed their joy through long waves. As the set progressed smoothly, Paris Saint-Germain scored the third goal in the Champions League final (3-0). The complex of Roland Garros, close to PSG's stadium, witnessed the fireworks launched in the city, and this distraction affected Djokovic. Misolic saw this as his moment and tried to capitalize on it to break, but an error in his racket frame and a decline in 'Nole's' desire to continue playing due to the distracting crowd raised his level even higher to finish with a 6-2 win.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Djokovic, al alza y sin fisuras en la "fiesta" parisina