Djokovic says 'things could be handled differently' after 3 a.m. finish

English Woman's Journal - Djokovic says 'things could be handled differently' after 3 a.m. finish

SPORTS 02.06.2024

Djokovic says 'things could be handled differently' after 3 a.m. finish / Photo: EMMANUEL DUNAND - AFP

Novak Djokovic believes "things could have been handled differently" by Roland Garros officials after winning his French Open third round match at a record 3:07 a.m. (0107 GMT) Sunday morning.

Change text size:

Defending champion and 24-time Grand Slam title winner Djokovic came from two sets to one down to defeat Lorenzo Musetti 7-5, 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 in a clash which only started just before 10:45 p.m. (2045 GMT) on Saturday.

It was easily the latest finish to a French Open tie and came after organisers squeezed in extra matches onto the two main show courts, which both have retractable roofs, to counter the scheduling chaos caused by a seventh day of rain in Paris.

"I don't want to get into this debate," said Djokovic initially before adding: "I think certain things could have been handled differently.

"There is a certain beauty in winning the match at three in the morning if it was the last of the tournament, but this isn't the case."

Djokovic's four-hour 29-minute victory allowed the 37-year-old world number one to equal Roger Federer's record of 369 Grand Slam match wins.

"Physically, I really went to my limits to win this match. When you play rallies of more than 20 shots, at two in the morning.... Who plays at two in the morning?" he added.

"We play few matches in our life at this time. The conditions were very heavy, it was very cold. You didn't have many free points behind your serve."

Djokovic must now recover to face Argentinian 27th seed Francisco Cerundolo in the round of 16 on Monday after avoiding what would have been his earliest exit at the French Open in 15 years.

Despite the late finish in Paris, it is the Australian Open in Melbourne which holds the Grand Slam record -- in 2008, Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis played a match until 4:34 a.m.

At the US Open in New York, the latest finish was 2:50 a.m. in 2022 when Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner.

Wimbledon operates an 11 p.m. curfew with the 2012 clash between Andy Murray and Baghdatis ending at a more gentle 11:02 p.m.

S.Smith--EWJ

Paul George Scores 36 as Celtics Defeat Sixers 123-101 to Take East Lead

The Boston Celtics claimed first place in the Eastern Conference on Tuesday night, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 123-101 at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Paul George led all scorers with 36 points in his return to Philadelphia, while a decisive third-quarter run extended Boston's lead and dropped the Sixers to second place.

Mets President David Stearns Expresses Confidence in Marcus Semien's Motivation

New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has identified Marcus Semien’s self-motivation as the primary factor in his potential recovery from an underwhelming debut season. Speaking at the general managers meetings in Las Vegas, Stearns affirmed that the team remains confident in Semien’s ability to improve, even as they evaluate other infield options for next year.

FA Cup Second-Round Draw Confirmed for Non-League and Midlands Clubs

The FA Cup second-round draw has been finalized, setting up crucial ties for non-league teams aiming to reach the third round proper. Several clubs from the Midlands, including Burton Albion and Kidderminster Harriers, have secured their next opponents following recent victories over lower-league opposition.

Panthers expected to begin 2027 NRL season away from new stadium

The new Penrith Stadium is expected to be ready in time for the opening round of the 2027 NRL season, but it’s still likely the Panthers is expected to be on the road for their early matches. There is no delay to the build of the new $309 million venue but there’s a lack of appetite for risk around weather delays through the summer.