Cecchinato shocks Djokovic, enters SF of French Open 2018

Speed Post News Network

Patna : World No 72 in ATP rankings Marco Cecchinato, 25, Italy, on June 5, 2018, night, shocked former World No 1 and winner of 12 Grand Slam singles titles Novak Djokovic, 31, Serbia, in the quarter-finals to enter the semi-finals of the French Open 2018 for the first time.  Cecchinato beat Djokovic, the 2016 French Open Champion, in four sets 6-3, 7-6, 1-6, 7-6 ( 13/11) on Suzanne Lenglen court.

Cecchinato started with a bang winning the first two sets. But, Djokovic clawed his way into the match winning the third set quite easily. Djokovic was leading 5-3 in the fourth set too and it looked the match will  go to the 5th set. But, Cecchinato staged a remarkable comeback breaking Djokovic’s service in the 9th game and then holding his own to mak it 5-5. Both the players held their serve to make it 6-6 and the match went to tie-break, which Cecchinato won 13/11.

Cecchinato fired 6 Aces in the match to Djokovic’s 5.  Cecchinato, however, committed 5 double fault compared to 2 by Djokovic. Djokovic also won 6 break points while Cecchinato won 4. Djokovic won 8 games in row while Cecchinato won just 3.

Cecchinato had beaten World No 11 Pablo Carreno Busta, Spain, in the 3rd round and World No 9 David Goffin, Belgium, in the 4th round. He had never progressed beyond first round at any Grand Slam event before the French Open 2018.