Djokovic, Tsitsipas Cruise Into French QFs; Nadal v Sinner Tues.

While the women’s draw has been decimated, the men’s draw has gone almost to form. Today, Novak Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev and Pablo Carreno Busta all advanced to the quarters losing a combined one set.

Djokovic won his 35th match in 36 tries this year getting over on Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. Djokovic fell behind a break early in the third only to recover for the easy win.

About the only thing of interest during the match was the Serb accidently hitting another linesman off a shot.

“My gosh, it was very awkward déjà vu,” Djokovic said of the freak incident. I’m actually trying to find the linesperson and see if he’s OK because I saw he had a little bit of a bruise, like redness, in that place in the head where the ball hit him. I hope he’s fine. I mean, he definitely dealt with it in a very strong and brave way.”

Djokovic will meet the man who he was playing when he got the default, Pablo Carreno Busta. The Spaniard swept past German qualifier Daniel Altmaier 6-2, 7-5, 6-2. The 22-year-old Altmaier, who was appearing in his first Grand Slam, served for the second but fell apart.

Tsitsipas and Rublev set a Hamburg rematch. The Greek won a tough second set breaker but otherwise rolled past Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets 6-3, 7-6(9), 6-2.

“The tie-break was very tense. The tie-break was where all the money was,” said Tsitsipas. “I am glad that I played good tennis and I didn’t panic. I stayed concentrated, stayed low-key and tried to take it point-by-point.

“I think it worked out pretty well at the end. I showed lots of discipline, lots of responsibility. It was a very responsible win in the second set and I am very happy with myself and the attitude that I put out on the court.”

Rublev came from a break down in all four sets to beat Marton Fucsovics 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6(3).

“I think I was a little bit lucky,” said Rublev. “He was a set and 5-2 up, 5-3 serving for the second set. Then he was up a break in the third set.

“It was really tough.”

Rublev and Tsitsipas are in their first French Open quarterfinal.

On Tuesday, the quarterfinals begin with a tasty treat as Rafael Nadal test Italian 19-year-old Jannik Sinner. The young Sinner posses the rare double of poise and power.

Dominic Thiem, who escaped the drop shot barrage from Hugo Gaston on Sunday, will challenge another short player in Diego Schwartzman.

TUESDAY FRENCH OPEN SCHEDULE
** Court Philippe CHATRIER ** Début à 11h00
1 SD H Ons JABEUR (TUN) [30] contre Danielle COLLINS (USA)
suivi de
2 SD Q Elina SVITOLINA (UKR)[3] contre Nadia PODOROSKA (ARG)
3 SM Q Diego SCHWARTZMAN (ARG) [12] contre Dominic THIEM (AUT)[3]
4 SD Q Iga SWIATEK (POL) contre Martina TREVISAN (ITA)
5 SM Q Jannik SINNER (ITA) contre Rafael NADAL (ESP) [2]