Novak Djokovic`s campaign for a historic 25th Grand Slam title concluded in the semi-finals of the French Open, where he was defeated by Jannik Sinner.
After the match on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the 38-year-old Serbian waved to the spectators and touched the clay court, having lost in straight sets (6-4, 7-5, 7-6) to the Italian who is now World No. 1.
This appearance came exactly 20 years after his debut at the French Open, leading to questions about whether this might be his final time competing at the tournament.
Djokovic, who received treatment for his leg during the match, spoke about the reception he received from the crowd. He expressed immense gratitude, stating, “I don’t think I have ever received this much support in this stadium in my career in big matches against the best players in the world.”
He praised Sinner`s performance, calling it “very good and solid.” Djokovic acknowledged Sinner`s mental strength, saying he “deserved big credit for hanging in there in the tough moments when the whole stadium was cheering.” He concluded, “He showed why he’s No.1 in the world. He was just too solid.”
Reflecting on his departure from the court, Djokovic commented, “I mean this could have been the last match ever I played here, so I don’t know. That’s why I was a bit more emotional even in the end.”
He added, “But if this was the farewell match of the Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd.” While expressing a desire to continue playing (“Do I wish to play more? Yes, I do.”), he admitted uncertainty about returning to Paris next year: “But will I be able to play in 12 months’ time here again? I don’t know.”
Other Semi-Final Match
In the other semi-final, Carlos Alcaraz advanced after Lorenzo Musetti retired due to a leg injury. Alcaraz was leading the match 4-6, 7-6, 6-0, 2-0 when Musetti was forced to stop.
Alcaraz, a two-time Wimbledon champion, expressed sympathy for his opponent. He stated, “It’s not the way that I wanted to win, to make the final. I just wished him, you know, a speedy recovery. I hope to see him soon.”
He noted that Musetti`s level dropped after the first two demanding sets, and he focused on making him move extensively in the third set.
Jannik Sinner will now face Carlos Alcaraz in the final, a highly anticipated clash between the tournament`s top two seeds.
