ROME (AP) – It was simply the kind of scrambling, wear-down-the-opponent mentality and shot-making that took Novak Djokovic to inside one match of a calendar-year Grand Slam in 2021.
A spectacle that was missing for a lot of this yr when Djokovic didn’t play as a result of he wasn’t vaccinated in opposition to the coronavirus.
The top-ranked Djokovic introduced the Foro Italico crowd to its ft with a number of memorable factors in a 7-5, 7-6 (1) win over Felix Auger-Aliassime to succeed in the Italian Open semifinals on Friday.
To conclude a protracted rally, Djokovic produced a fragile backhand topspin lob winner over the leaping Auger-Aliassime to interrupt serve and lead 4-2 in the second set.
Djokovic celebrated the lob winner by elevating each of his arms above his head then urged the packed crowd on Campo Centrale to cheer louder by gesturing along with his fingers.
“It was high-level tennis,” Djokovic mentioned. “He did ask me to raise the level and I had to play consistently well.”
While he’s nonetheless searching for his first title of the yr, Djokovic was ensured by the victory of holding on to the primary rating for an additional week and have the highest seed on the French Open.
Number two Daniil Medvedev can now not go Djokovic when the rankings are up to date tomorrow.
Roland Garros begins in 9 days and Djokovic is gearing up for his first Grand Slam event of the yr after he was deported from Australia.
Playing the ninth-ranked Auger-Aliassime for the primary time, Djokovic took a while earlier than he began studying the Canadian’s large serve.
Then he stepped up his sport and hit an off-balance cross-court forehand winner to interrupt and take the primary set.
Auger-Aliassime confirmed some contact early on when he pulled off a backhand half-volley winner to conclude a rally in the second sport.
In the top, although, it was Djokovic – enjoying his sixteenth consecutive quarterfinal on the clay-court event – who gained all the large factors. Like when he ran down two smashes and responded with two defensive lobs earlier than stepping in to whip a cross-court backhand winner throughout the tiebreaker.
Djokovic’s semifinal opponent might be Casper Ruud, who beat Denis Shapovalov 7-6 (7), 7-5.