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The defending champion in Paris faced third-round elimination but found a second wind against his Italian opponent to move into the fourth round and emulate the retired Swiss.
Novak Djokovic overcame a Lorenzo Musetti marathon lasting four hours and 29 minutes to move into the fourth round at Roland Garros after a 7-5, 6-7(6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 third-round victory.
Novak Djokovic vs Lorenzo Musetti
The World No. 1 and defending French Open champion won the first set and led 4-1 in the second, only to face resistance from the Italian, who roared back to claim set two in a tie-break and did not let up in the third, giving a seemingly tiring Djokovic the runaround on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
However, the 24-time Grand Slam champion responded impressively in the fourth set, breaking Musetti’s serve in the fifth game to lead 3-2 before consolidating and forcing a deciding fifth set.
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Against an exhausted Musetti allied with the immense support of the fans in Philippe-Chatrier, Djokovic turned the screw in the fifth set to notch a 6-0 win over the Italian in the early hours of Sunday morning, claiming his 36th five-set triumph at Slams.
The night match began later than expected and extended into Sunday morning, but more was needed to deter supporters, who cheered every point on centre court in the latest-ever finish to a match at Roland Garros.
Djokovic equals Federer after latest French Open win
Sunday morning’s victory over Musetti takes Djokovic to 369 Grand Slam wins.
According to Opta, the triumph equalled Roger Federer's feat of singles match wins (male or female) in the Open Era, and the Serbian superstar could surpass the Swiss tennis legend in the next round.
What comes next for Djokovic at the French Open?
Djokovic faces Francisco Cerundolo in the fourth round after the Argentine defeated Tommy Paul in four sets.
The Serbian remains without a title in 2024 and is seeking a 25th Grand Slam win in Paris.
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