Djokovic springs into French Open last four

Paris — Novak Djokovic overcame a first-set blip to beat Russian Karen Khachanov 4-6 7-6(0) 6-2 6-4 and reach the French Open semifinals on Tuesday, staying on course for a record-breaking 23rd men’s singles Grand Slam title.

The twice Roland Garros champion could not find a weakness in the 11th-seeded Khachanov’s serve at first, but once he took the second set tiebreak there was no looking back for the Serbian.

He will be closely watching Tuesday’s night match between world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz and fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, the winner of which will be the last man standing between him and a seventh French Open final.

On Philippe Chatrier court that was gradually being covered by the shade, the 36-year-old did not have a single break opportunity and looked a tad slow in the opening set, but his metronomic game eventually clicked and there was little Khachanov could do to top his opponent’s march into the last four.

Khachanov stole Djokovic’s serve to lead 3-2 and, though the world No 3 threatened in a 10-minute ninth game, the Russian held and went on to pocket the set.

There were no break points in the second set, but Khachanov started to struggle and paid for his efforts, failing to score a point in the tiebreak as Djokovic levelled the contest.

Djokovic got the early break thanks to a net cord in the third and stole Khachanov’s serve again to move one set from victory with apparent ease.

The Serbian broke again early in the fourth set, only to serve a double fault that allowed Khachanov to level for 4-4 and keep his slim hopes of an upset alive.

Coming back in the set cost Khachanov too much though and the Russian was broken to love in the following game, losing eight points in a row as Djokovic ended the contest with an ace.

Earlier in the day, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka said that she did not want her country to be in any conflict and did not support the war in Ukraine, distancing herself from President Alexander Lukashenko.

The world No 2 did not attend her past two press conferences in Paris, citing mental health reasons after being grilled about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Belarus being used as a staging ground for Russian troops.

“I don’t want my country to be in any conflict, I don’t support the war,” Sabalenka told reporters after her quarterfinal victory over Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina. “I don’t support war, meaning I don’t support [Belarus President] Alexander Lukashenko right now.”

Svitolina said she did not feel safe enough to talk to the media last week.

“I really felt bad not coming here. I couldn’t sleep. Like all those bad feelings [were] in my head; I couldn’t fall asleep. I felt really bad not coming here,” Sabalenka said.

“I don’t regret the decisions. I felt really disrespected, and I felt really bad. Grand Slam, it’s enough pressure to handle, and I just tried to focus on myself, on my game,” she said.

“I really hope that you guys will understand me, my feelings. You know that I really respect all of you... You can ask whatever you want. You will get all the information.

“But in the last press conference, I felt like my press conference became a political TV show, and I’m not expert in politics. I’m just a tennis player.”

Lukashenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s staunchest ally among its neighbours, celebrated Sabalenka’s Australian Open victory in January and said recently that people knew which country she hailed from even if she was playing under a neutral flag.

Sabalenka, who has met Lukashenko, had refused to comment when asked if she personally condemned the war.

“We played a lot of Fed Cups in Belarus. He was in our matches taking pictures with us after the match. Nothing bad was happening that time in Belarus or in Ukraine or in Russia,” she said.

Sabalenka was asked if she felt safe during Tuesday’s press conference.

“Yes, I do,” she said. “Probably because I had a few days to switch off, a few days to bring myself together. That’s why I feel safer. And nobody’s putting words in my mouth, so that’s another reason.”

Reuters