French Open: Djokovic overcomes fitness issues to storm into semis

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic said he was feeling okay after overcoming neck and shoulder troubles to defeat Pablo Carreno Busta on Wednesday and set up a French Open semi-final showdown with Stefanos Tsitsipas. Djokovic beat Spanish 17th seed Carreno Busta 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the Last 4 of a major for the 38th time as he chases a second French Open and 18th Grand Slam title.

However, the World No. 1 required treatment on his upper left arm after dropping his first set of the tournament on a chilly autumn evening in Paris. "I definitely didn't feel great coming onto the court today, a few things happened in the warm-up," said Djokovic. "I had some neck issues and some shoulder issues. I don't want to get too much into it. I'm feeling okay. As the match went on, I felt better, didn't feel as much pain."

The Serb now sits two wins away from becoming the first man in half a century to win all four Slams twice. His only defeat in 37 matches this year came to Carreno Busta following his disqualification at the US Open for a angry swipe of a ball which hit a female line judge squarely in the throat. Djokovic grew increasingly animated when he missed out a string of break points early in the fourth set, but he eventually landed the decisive blow in the seventh game when Carreno Busta pushed a forehand wide.

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