French Open: Novak Djokovic too hot to handle

World No. 1 brushes aside 93rd-ranked Ricardas Berankis to storm into fourth round of French Open

French Open: Novak Djokovic too hot to handle

Novak Djokovic. Pic/AFP

Novak Djokovic moved effortlessly into the French Open fourth round for the 12th successive year on Saturday, setting up an intriguing duel against Italian teenager Lorenzo Musetti.

World No. 1 Djokovic, the champion in Paris in 2016 and chasing a 19th Grand Slam title, brushed aside 93rd-ranked Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania 6-1, 6-4, 6-1. “If you look at it, it may seem like an easy win but that’s not the case,” said Djokovic. “The conditions were different, the bounce was lower so you have to adapt but that’s part of the job.”

Chasing a record

Djokovic is bidding to be the first man in more than half a century to win all four majors on multiple occasions. Next up for the Serb is 19-year-old Musetti after the 76th-ranked Italian fired 50 winners past compatriot Marco Cecchinato in a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory. Fellow Italian teen Jannik Sinner, a quarter-finalist in 2020, also made it to the second week, easing past Sweden’s Mikael Ymer 6-1, 7-5, 6-3.

Nadal through

Meanwhile, defending champion Rafael Nadal reached the fourth round for the 16th time on Saturday with his third win of 2021 over Britain’s Cameron Norrie.
Nadal, chasing a 14th Roland Garros title and record-setting 21st Grand Slam, won 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 and goes on to face Italian teenager Sinner for a place in the Last eight. The third-seeded Spaniard, who now has a record in Paris of 103 wins against just two losses since his 2005 debut, defeated Sinner in the quarter-finals at last year’s tournament.

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