Novak Djokovic’s French Open title defense yesterday ended with a surprisingly lopsided 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-0 quarter-final loss to sixth-seeded Dominic Thiem of Austria.
A year ago, Djokovic became the first man in nearly a half-century to claim a fourth consecutive major championship and completed a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros.
However, his form has dipped considerably since then, and now he has gone four majors in a row without earning a trophy.
Photo: Reuters
“It’s a fact that I’m not playing close to my best,” Djokovic said. “This is a whole new situation that I’m feeling.”
Yesterday at a windy Court Suzanne Lenglen, Djokovic was out of sorts in so many ways, even before the 20-minute third set, in which he won only eight of 34 points.
That was only the second time that Djokovic lost a final set by the score of 6-0 in his 937 career tour-level matches.
“It was not there for me today,” Djokovic said, with a sigh.
He wasted two set points in the opener. By the end of the match, he wound up with nearly twice as many unforced errors, 35, as winners, 18. His backhand was particularly problematic.
Known for tremendous footwork and court coverage, the second-seeded Serb even stumbled and tumbled to the court, his racket flying out of his hands, early in the second set. Djokovic was left on his knees, and soon he would be out of the tournament entirely.
“All in all, it was decided, I think, in the first set,” Djokovic said.
How unlikely was this result? Djokovic entered the day having won all five previous matches — and 11 of 12 sets — against Thiem, including in the French Open semi-finals a year ago.
“It’s amazing for me,” Thiem said. “To beat him for the first time in the quarters of the French Open is a dream.”
Plus, Djokovic had appeared in a record six consecutive semi-finals in Paris. However, this continued what has become something of a 12-month downward slide for him since he finally grabbed ahold of the French Open championship he had so long sought.
Since then the highlight for Djokovic was a runner-up finish at the US Open. Otherwise, he lost his No. 1 ranking to Andy Murray and lost in the third round of Wimbledon, the first round of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the second round of the Australian Open.
Thiem, 23, is scheduled to next face nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal.
Earlier yesterday, Nadal reached his record 10th French Open semi-final when No. 20 Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain retired from their match early in the second set because of an injured abdominal muscle he said began bothering him on a serve at 5-2 in the first.
Nadal led 6-2, 2-0 when Carreno Busta retired from the match.
Nadal has dropped only 22 games so far in the tournament, the fewest he has lost on the way to any of his 26 Grand Slam semi-final berths.
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