Tennis-Djokovic edges closer to Grand Slam record with spot in last eight

World number three Novak Djokovic inched closer to a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title by crushing Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas 6-3 6-2 6-2 on Sunday to reach the French Open quarter-finals. The Serbian, who is currently tied with Spain's Rafa Nadal at 22 majors, was untroubled by his 94th-ranked opponent, the first Peruvian in 29 years to reach a Grand Slam fourth round, on a windy day on Philippe Chatrier court.


Reuters | Updated: 04-06-2023 20:23 IST | Created: 04-06-2023 20:22 IST
Tennis-Djokovic edges closer to Grand Slam record with spot in last eight
File photo. Image Credit: ANI

World number three Novak Djokovic inched closer to a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title by crushing Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas 6-3 6-2 6-2 on Sunday to reach the French Open quarter-finals.

The Serbian, who is currently tied with Spain's Rafa Nadal at 22 majors, was untroubled by his 94th-ranked opponent, the first Peruvian in 29 years to reach a Grand Slam fourth round, on a windy day on Philippe Chatrier court. He attacked Varillas at every opportunity to avoid being drawn into lengthy baseline battles that had seen the 27-year-old win all his three previous rounds in five-set marathons.

Varillas lost the vast majority of the shorter rallies and could not find a way back into the match as Djokovic set up a quarter-final against 11th seed Karen Khachanov. A two-time champion in Paris, Djokovic has now reached the quarter-finals at the French Open for a record 17th time, one more than 14-time champion Rafa Nadal who is absent this year due to injury.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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