In Pictures: Novak Djokovic's wife Jelena rides the emotional rollercoaster as Serb pulls off incredible comeback to reach French Open QF

Novak Djokovic with his wife (Source: Getty)
Novak Djokovic with his wife (Source: Getty)

Novak Djokovic's wife Jelena was caught in an emotional rollercoaster as the Serb staged a dramatic comeback, battling fitness concerns to see off Francisco Cerundolo and reach the quarterfinals at the 2024 French Open. The match saw a lot of drama, from the Serb taking a tumble to complaining about the clay.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion prevailed over the Argentine after four hours and 40 minutes of back and forth. The Serb seemed to be in control in the first set winning it 6-1 but subsequently, he injured his knee and even took a medical time-out. Cerundolo won the next two sets 7-5, 6-3.

Djokovic's serve was broken in the fourth set and the Argentine led 4-2 before the Serb broke back. He then broke Cerundolo's serve once again to take the set 7-5. In the final set, the Serb rallied from 4-3, 0-40 to break his opponent's serve and go 5-3 up. He won the match 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

The Serb's wife Jelena had a whole range of emotions as she cheered him on from the player's box.

The high-octane match wasn't without some controversial moments. The defending champion had an argument with the chair umpire after he slipped.

“Great job. You know better than us. It’s not slippery at all. Not dangerous at all. Well done supervisor and everyone. Ground staff, well done,” Djokovic said.

Novak Djokovic's concerns with cleanliness during third round at French Open

French Open 2024
French Open 2024

Novak Djokovic won a five-setter against Lorenzo Musetti in the third round in the same fashion as he won against Cerundolo. He won a tight first set only to lose the next two. In typical Djokovic fashion, he mounted a strong comeback to keep the title defense dream alive.

However, he was met with a lot of concerns. The match was scheduled late at night and went on to become the latest-ever finish in the French Open.

The Serb also made his protest clear on the condition of the clay, urging the umpire to have it swept every five games. However, the umpire did not agree to the World No. 1's demands.

“So it’s problem to sweep the court every five games? I ask you to sweep the court, because there’s so much clay. I don’t know why it’s asking so much at 1 a.m. after waiting 20 hours to play,” he said.

Novak Djokovic will now face Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals at the 2024 French Open.

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Edited by Luke Koshi
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