Australian Open: Djokovic ends his journey with a loss to Sinner in semi-finals
The top-ranked player made 54 unforced errors and failed to produce a break point during the 22-year-old's incredible performance at the Australian Open in 2024.
World number one men’s singles player Novak Djokovic on Thursday cruised past Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis in straight sets to advance into the third round of the ongoing French Open at the Roland Garros Complex in Paris.
Meanwhile, Djokovic’s 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Berankis in one hour and 23 minutes was his 70th win in the clay court Major, taking his tally at level with Roger Federer. Only 12-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal – with 95 victories – has won more.
“Of course, winning that many matches on each Slam is a great achievement, and of course it makes me proud, makes me happy,” Djokovic said after the match as per the official tournament website.
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“I always aim to play my best tennis in Grand Slams. I think Federer, Nadal, the biggest players in the last 10, 15 years, aim to always play their best in slams,” he added.
Djokovic, who on Thursday took his win-loss ratio to 33:2 in 2020, will now look to get past 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer when he meets Colombian lucky loser Daniel Elahi Galan in the next round.
“I don’t know much about him, to be honest. I have never seen him play, so I’ll have to obviously look at his matches, the videos, and try to prepare myself with my team,” Djokovic said. “It’s always dangerous facing opponents you never faced before.”
In women’s singles, world number four Karolina Pliskova suffered a shocking third-round exit after losing to Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets.
The former world number one Pliskova, who had played the semifinals in the 2017 French Open, bowed out of this year’s tournament as she lost 6-4, 6-2 against 2017 champion Ostapenko.
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