The fourth-round winner’s cheque is a far cry from the real prize Djokovic has his eyes on this week — the Musketeers’ Cup to complete his grand slam collection. PHOTO: AFP
PARIS: World number one Novak Djokovic became the first tennis player to smash the $100 million prize money barrier when he reached the French Open quarter-finals for the 10th time yesterday.
The 29-year-old Serb started the tournament with $99,673,404 and the $328,303 he earned by beating Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut took him past the landmark figure.
Top seed Djokovic defeated 14th seeded Bautista Agut 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-5 to move into a 28th consecutive grand slam quarter-final and 36th in all.
He will today take on Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych, who beat Spanish 11th seed David Ferrer 6-3, 7-5, 6-3.
French Open suffers first washout in 16 years
Djokovic has a 23-2 career stranglehold on Berdych, who will be playing in his third Roland Garros quarter-final.
Djokovic, seeking a first French Open title to complete a career Grand Slam, was 4-1 ahead of Bautista Agut in the third set on Tuesday when play was halted due to rain after just two hours of action had been possible.
But the Serb quickly wrapped up the next two games yesterday and despite falling a break down to trail 2-4 in the fourth, he stormed back to claim victory on a second match point.
“I came back today with more intensity even though it was a tough mental and physical battle,” said Djokovic, who had struggled in the heavy conditions when he uncharacteristically dropped serve five times.
Roger Federer withdraws from French Open
Djokovic refused to back complaints made by top-10 players Agnieszka Radwanska and Simona Halep who insisted that Tuesday’s court conditions had been too dangerous.
“Once you accept the circumstances and the decision is such that you play, then you have to go with it,” said the Serb.
Meanwhile, Austria’s Dominic Thiem advanced to his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final with a 6-2, 6-7 (2/7), 6-1, 6-4 win over Spain’s Marcel Granollers.
Rain halted play at one set apiece on Tuesday, but 13th seed Thiem quickly found his groove yesterday to race through the third set before nailing down a place in the last eight.
The 22-year-old will next meet Belgian 12th seed David Goffin who saw off Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 in another match held over from Tuesday.
Goffin is only the second Belgian man to reach the last eight in Paris.
Serena sweeps aside Svitolina, schedule fears
Defending champion Serena Williams brushed off concerns about a busy playing schedule after powering into the quarter-finals yesterday.
Serena reached the last eight at Roland Garros for the 10th time after pulverising 18th seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-1, 6-1 in just over an hour on Court Philippe Chatrier.
But the world number one, who next plays Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva, faces the challenge of playing four matches in four days in her pursuit of a record-equalling 22nd Open era Grand Slam title.
“Four in a row? I think for us...when we play regular tournaments you play four, five matches in a row. It’s what happens,” said Serena.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 2nd, 2016.
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