Djokovic v Sinner live: French Open semi-final score and updates as Alcaraz awaits – UK Times

The overall head-to-head is 4-4. Sinner has won three matches in a row against Djokovic but this will be their first meeting on clay since the very first time they played each other in Monte Carlo in 2021, when Sinner was still a teeanger.

Djokovic won that match 6-4 6-2.

“He has shown now in the last period that he is back to the level. He plays very, very well, so it’s going to be even there quite tactical, but very, very difficult. He’s such an experienced player, 24 grand slams. I think that says everything. Let’s see. I’m just happy to be in the semis and see what I can do.

“Last year I played a good match in the semis, so I’m proud to be again here. I wouldn’t have thought to be here in this position since my comeback, so I’m very happy to take things like they are, and hopefully I’m ready. I just want to watch my side of the net, and then we see.”

Lorenzo Musetti, speaking after injury forced him to retire from his French Open semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz.

“Sad and disappointed on how it ended. But still a great match. I felt at the beginning of the third when I was serving, I started losing a little bit of strength on the left leg behind, and [it was] definitely was going worse and worse, so I decided to stop. I think it was the right decision to make, even if it was not what I wanted.”

“Jannik is in tremendous form, and he has been the best player for the last couple of years, deservedly. He’s been playing some terrific tennis, attacking tennis, and just super strong from every aspect of his game.

“I haven’t played him now in quite some time and we always had some exciting matches. It’s going to be of course semifinals of a grand slam against the No 1 in the world. There is no bigger occasion for me, so I’ll try to do my best to step it up and perform as well as I did tonight.”

Sinner continued his dominant form by thrashing Alexander Bublik 6-1 7-5 6-0. The Italian dropped just six games against Bublik and it added to his string of one-sided victories so far. The 23-year-old also dropped just eight games against Andrey Rublev, three games against Jiri Lehecka and seven games against Richard Gasquet.

After losing to Sinner, Bublik said: “He’s playing fast. He’s playing smart. He’s basically playing every match under two hours, so physically he’s very at a top level, so it’s not easy, as you can see. It’s not only me who got bageled.”

Djokovic produced a tactical masterclass to outmanoeuvre Alexander Zverev and reach his 13th French Open semi-final. Djokovic dropped serve in the opening game of the match but dominated Zverev from there and closed out a 4-6 6-2 6-3 6-4 victory in three hours. He said it proved that he can still beat the best in the world.

“Obviously beating one of the best players in the world on the biggest stages is something that I definitely work for, and I still push myself on a daily basis at this age because of these kind of matches and these kind of experiences,” Djokovic.said. “It’s a proven kind of testament to myself that I can and to others that I can still play on the highest level.”

The match will be the second men’s semi-final on Friday 6 June and will follow the previous contest between Carlos Alcaraz and Lorenzo Musetti. It won’t start before 6pm BST (7pm local time).

Carlos Alcaraz returned to the French Open final after Lorenzo Musetti retired injured, sending the defending champion through to play against either Novak Djokovic or Jannik Sinner on Sunday. Musetti, the Italian eighth seed, struggled with a left leg injury and quit the match after losing his eighth consecutive game, with Alcaraz progressing 4-6 7-6 (3) 6-0 2-0.

Alcaraz was in a spot of bother, though, before Musetti’s movement became too hampered for the match to be competitive. The 21-year-old had to dig deep and raise his level in the key second-set tiebreak. Musetti was looking confident and enjoying his first French Open semi-final, with Alcaraz growing frustrated and desperately needing to snap himself into focus.

We know the first of the men’s French Open finalists and now just need the second.

Tonight’s action is headlined by perhaps the match of the tournament with Novak Djokovic going toe-to-toe with Jannik Sinner.

Either of these men will give Carlos Alcaraz a tough match in the final but who will make it through?