Djokovic defeated the 22-year-old Italian Lorenzo Musetti 7-5, 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 in a third-round match that lasted 4 1/2 hours.
The Serbian briefly looked as if he might be unable to recover against Musetti, but he recovered in the final two sets.
“I was in real trouble, and credit to Lorenzo for making me uncomfortable on the court and playing some really amazing tennis. Very high level. At one point, I didn’t know, really, what to do,” the 37-year-old Djokovic said. “It didn’t feel great playing him that third set and the beginning of the fourth.”
Difficult win
Gasping for breath while leaning over with hands on knees, or taking so much time between points that he earned a warning, Djokovic appeared to be exhausted at times against his much younger opponent.
The Serbian also found the damp and cold conditions, and heavy clay, hard to deal with, especially “when you're playing 20-plus-shot rallies at 2 a.m.; who plays at 2 a.m., you know?”
Djokovic has spent more weeks atop the ATP rankings than anyone, but if he fails to return to the final at the French Open, he will cede that spot to Musetti’s countryman, current No. 2 Jannik Sinner.
That’s because a loss in this match would have been the latest in a series of disappointing results in 2024 for Djokovic, who hasn't only not earned a trophy at any tournament this season, but he hasn’t even reached a final.
This win is Djokovic’s 369th at a Grand Slam tournament, tying Roger Federer for the most in tennis history.
Djokovic can break the mark on Monday, when he'll face No. 23 seed Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina.
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