03:09 PM
Classy from Djokovic
02:58 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 6-0, 4-0 Musetti
GAME. SET. MATCH. Djokovic holds and that’s it for Musetti, who retires due to the injury he’s suffering from.
02:55 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 6-0, 3-0 Musetti
That’s a wrap on this match as Djokovic gets the double break. To compound the misery for Musetti he seems to be struggling with injury.
In the last 40 points, Djokovic has won 33 of the them.
02:46 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 6-0, 1-0 Musetti
Miraculous point by Djokovic as he slips, still manages to hit a forehand, guesses right on the Musetti’s next shot and recovers to eventually force an error from Musetti. The physio comes out to attend to Djokovic’s hand and he is able to continue and break Musetti again.
02:33 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 6-0 Musetti
It took Musetti over two hours to win the first two sets. Djokovic has won sets three and four in 41 minutes.
Into a fifth set we go…
02:30 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 5-0 Musetti
Djokovic won SIXTEEN points in a row before Musetti broke the streak. But the world No 1 is in a ruthless mood right now and breaks his opponent for the third time.
The top seed has well and truly arrived.
02:22 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 3-0 Musetti
This match has completely flipped in the last 30 minutes. Djokovic has gone into ball machine mode and Musetti now has no answer.
Double break for Djokovic. We might as well start the fifth set.
02:14 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 6-1 Musetti
This set has gone quickly with Djokovic making adjustments and Musetti understandably not maintaining the ridiculous level he was at.
Djokovic is swinging freely after so much tension early. The third set took just 23 minutes.
02:05 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 3-1 Musetti
All it takes is a slight drop in level and the best players pounce on it. Errors have crept into Musetti’s game and Djokovic has taken advantage to give himself a foothold in the match.
01:59 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 6-7, 2-0 Musetti
Is this the start of the comeback? Djokovic breaks after a below par service game by Musetti.
01:47 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 6-7 Musetti – TIEBREAK
Musetti forehand too strong for Djokovic, 0-1. Djokovic drop shot into the net, 0-2. Amazing hands from Musetti and his lob drops in the corner, 0-3. Djokovic backhand long, 0-4. Musetti forehand long, 1-4. Djokovic backhand long, 1-5.
Djokovic backhand wide, 1-6. Djokovic forehand winner, 2-6. Djokovic return long, 2-7.
01:41 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 6-6 Musetti
Another tiebreak between the two men as Djokovic holds to love. Musetti couldn’t do it again could he?
01:40 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 5-6 Musetti
The Italian books himself another tiebreak. Puts the pressure on Djokovic to hold serve now and not fall two sets down.
01:26 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 4-4 Musetti
Into the business end of the set. Can Musetti continue holding his nerve.
01:10 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 2-3 Musetti
Djokovic isn’t one of the mentally toughest players to ever pick up a racket for nothing. And he break back to love.
01:06 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 1-3 Musetti
Musetti breaks. Djokovic’s game has deserted him for the moment as he struggles to cope with Musetti’s sliced backhand.
Djokovic gets rid of the hat he was wearing.
01:00 PM
Djokovic 6-7, 1-2 Musetti
Musetti is the real deal. More experienced players than him would have crumbled by now but he is in complete control of himself.
I get the feeling Djokovic is simmering. Will he explode emotionally?
12:43 PM
Djokovic 6-7 Musetti – TIEBREAK
Defensive Musetti lob goes wide, 1-0. Musetti flick down the line is wide, 2-0. Djokovic backhand long, 2-1. Musetti forehand flies long, 3-1. Musetti backhand goes wide, 4-1. Musetti backhand winner down the line, 4-2.
Another Musetti backhand winner down the line, 4-3. Djokovic backhand into the net, 4-4. Defensive Musetti backhand into the net, 5-4. Musetti backhand winner, 5-5. Djokovic forehand into the net, 5-6. Djokovic forehand winner, 6-6.
Djokovic forehand wide, 6-7. Djokovic drop shot winner, 7-7. Musetti forehand winner, 7-8. Booom Musetti forehand winner, 7-9.
12:28 PM
Djokovic 6-6 Musetti
Pressure? What pressure? Musetti holds to 15 and we are into a tiebreak. Great tennis.
12:24 PM
Djokovic 6-5 Musetti
Djokovic guarantees himself a tiebreak. Musetti serving next to take his place in it.
Pressure moments coming up.
12:12 PM
Djokovic 4-4 Musetti
The likelihood is Djokovic will find a way to break down Musetti but right now he’s being tested for the first time in the tournament.
The Italian is playing with great imagination to go with the power.
11:59 AM
Djokovic 3-2 Musetti
Remember when I said Musetti was playing well? He still is and he breaks back as Djokovic blinks on break point and nets a backhand. Very interesting contest so far.
11:48 AM
Djokovic 3-1 Musetti
That strong start By Musetti I was talking to you about? Forget I said anything. Musetti is broken to love.
11:43 AM
Djokovic 2-1 Musetti
Confident start by Musetti, who holds to 15 in his opening service game but Djokovic leads the set. Musetti is striking the ball confidently and his groundstrokes are holding up well so far amid the consistency from Djokovic.
The match is yet to explode to life but it is early days.
11:24 AM
Next up!
World No 1 and top seed Novak Djokovic strides onto court for his match with Italian teen Lorenzo Musetti.
Djokovic is yet to drop a set in the tournament and is the heavy favourite for this one but don’t count out Musetti.
11:13 AM
High praise
11:06 AM
GAME. SET. MATCH
It is all over on Chatrier. Gauff completes a breathtaking performance, winning 6-3 6-1.
“I’m super happy, I played really well today,” she says. That is an understatement!
10:53 AM
Insurance break
Gauff breaks Jabeur again to lead 4-1. Jabeur’s shoulders have completely slumped now. She has no answer to the brilliance of Gauff at the moment.
Such an aggressive, controlled and confident performance.
10:50 AM
Meanwhile…
10:41 AM
One way traffic
Gauff claims the first set 6-3 and breaks Jabeur in the opening game of the second set. The American teen is on fire at the moment.
10:31 AM
Gauff a game away from the set
Gauff continues her purposeful start to lead 5-2. Jabeur is coming into the match now with her dropshot in particular causing damage.
10:24 AM
Coco on a roll
Brilliant start to the match by Gauff. She breaks Jabeur in her opening service game, consolidates the break and now leads 4-1.
This 17-year-old is not overawed by anything.
10:19 AM
Upset alert
Stunning first result of the day as Barbora Krejcikova wins her ninth straight match to knock out Sloane Stephens 6-2, 6-0.
10:12 AM
Today’s schedule
COURT PHILIPPE-CHATRIER
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Ons Jabeur v Coco Cauff
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Novak Djokovic v Lorenzo Musetti
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Rafael Nadal v Jannik Sinner
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Marta Kostyuk v Iga Swiatek
COURT SUZANNE-LENGLEN
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Sloane Stephens v Barbora Krejcikova
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Diego Schwartzman v Jan-Lennard Struff
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Sofia Kenin v Maria Sakkari
10:00 AM
Good morning
Hello and welcome to coverage of day nine of the French Open in Paris .
It is set to be another intriguing day at Roland Garros with Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Sofia Kenin and Coco Gauff all in action and aiming for a place in the quarter-finals.
One player who won’t be involved is Roger Federer after he withdrew from the tournament on Sunday.
The Swiss took three hours to beat Dominik Koepfer in four sets on Saturday night and cited the need to be cautious with his body after just his sixth match since January 2020 due to injury.
The 39-year-old’s decision has divided some fans and commentators but 18-time Grand Slam champion Chris Evert believes Federer had earned the right to do what was best for him.
“I that Roger has earned the right to do anything he wants in tennis right now,” she told Eurosport.
“He has played three matches and last night was a very long match. He said I am going to see how my body feels, he’s 39 years old, he went into this tournament for practice matches and I think he surprised himself how well he did. I honestly don’t think he expected to get to the second week.
“Wimbledon is his dream, that’s the golden tournament for him and that’s where his game with the less rallies, more about serving, quicker points, and that’s truly what his goal is. He should be excused for any withdrawal he has.”
Replying to a tweet from a user who said Federer was “disrespectful” to other players for “using” the French Open to gain fitness, Andy Murray said: “In basketball, football etc when returning from injury players are given reduced minutes to build up their fitness.
“In tennis you don’t have that luxury of just playing a set in first match then 2 sets the next etc and building up that way.
“I’d argue that it’s quite risky to play multiple 4hr matches in a row in your 2nd tournaments back in 18 months so to me it makes sense to be reactive based on how your body feels, length of matches etc (sic).”