Novak Djokovic has advanced to the quarter-finals of the French Open after defeating Cameron Norrie in straight sets. The 38-year-old Serb, bidding for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, beat Norrie 6-2 6-3 6-2.
Norrie, playing in his first-ever quarter-final at Roland Garros, had been looking to make another notable scalp after stunning Daniil Medvedev in the first round. However, he struggled against Djokovic, never seriously threatening an upset despite leading by a break in the second set.
“I was flat in some moments and I think that was the difference,” said Norrie. “I don’t see much evolution with Novak – he’s still not missing tennis balls.”
Djokovic will face Alexander Zverev next after losing to the German in the Australian Open semi-finals earlier this year due to a hamstring injury.
Norrie had been playing some of his best tennis before coming to Paris, having described his level as similar to when he was a top-10 player back in 2022. He won three consecutive matches before facing Djokovic, including victories over Medvedev and Jacob Fearnley.
Despite the loss, Norrie has expressed gratitude for the clay-court swing, saying it’s been “really enjoyable”. The win marked an improvement from earlier this year when he was struggling to maintain form and fitness.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/articles/c89pkn7wqpjo