A month ago, Novak Djokovic was winless in three matches. He lost in the opening round at the Monte-Carlo Masters and again in the opening round at the Madrid Open (both clay-court Masters 1000s). Whispers grew that his best days were behind him. Yet, he persevered. He finally captured his 100th career title at the Geneva Open. Arriving in Paris, he defied doubts at Roland Garros, where he’s already a three-time champion. How does he feel about his campaign heading into his 19th quarterfinal at Roland Garros?

“So far, so good! I know I can always play better, do better, and there are certain things I still want to do before my next challenge and next match. Again, I was quite solid when I needed to be and played really good tennis in important moments.” That’s what Novak told TNT Sports. The Serb has truly outdone himself at the tournament. He hasn’t dropped a set against tough competition in previous rounds. What’s Nole’s motivation for this tournament, though?

Of course, he’s got his eyes on the 25th Grand Slam title, but there’s more to it! He said, “I don’t want this to sound cocky, but every time I get out on the court now, it is some history in the lines, so of course, I’m in a very privileged position. And history motivates me; that’s definitely always my goal, or objective, or desire to wish to make more records or extend the records that I already made.”

Djokovic has cemented his status as a clay-court force at Roland Garros. He won titles in 2016, 2021, and 2023. He’s the oldest French Open men’s singles champion in the Open Era. He holds the record for most quarterfinal appearances at a single Grand Slam—19 at the French Open. Not to mention, he boasts over 100 match wins (100-16 record) in Paris.

He acknowledges this as he sets up his next match against Alexander Zverev, whom he faced in the Australian Open semifinals. That time, Nole had to retire after losing the first set due to a hamstring injury. Now, he’s back in form and ready to challenge Zverev again. His take on facing the German?

He said, “He’s as good as you can get at Roland Garros. He’s been playing terrific tennis, and yes, he’s been struggling with his form this year to keep the consistency with so many losses, but I think he peaks in Slams and he’s got all the goods to be a Grand Slam winner, and hopefully not this tournament, but maybe some other week, some other tournament.”

The two are currently in the middle of their match. Who will triumph this time around? Only time will tell! It’s a tough call. Both players are currently in top form. We’ve heard what Nole has to say; what’s Zverev’s take on this?

Sascha opens up about facing Novak Djokovic

Zverev is back at Roland Garros for his ninth run, hungry for that elusive first Grand Slam. Last year, he made his first French Open final since the 2020 US Open, and in January, he came heartbreakingly close at the Australian Open before losing to Jannik Sinner in straight sets. That defeat seemed to rattle him, leading to a string of early exits, but now he’s found his groove again and is back in the quarters, eyes set on glory.

When asked about facing Novak Djokovic, Zverev was candid and respectful. “He was much better than me back then, I would say, especially at the Grand Slam level,” he recalled of their 2019 Roland Garros clash. Now ranked World No. 3 and three spots above Djokovic, Zverev added, “We played a lot of matches since then. We played at Grand Slams since then. We have had a lot of tough battles. I have had a lot of great wins against him. I have had a lot of tough losses against him. We have great history in our rivalry, I would say, but I’m looking forward to the match, and it’s always a privilege to be on court with him.”

Both players are all-surface threats, but clay has brought out Zverev’s best, with four straight French Open semi-finals and a runner-up finish last year. Djokovic, meanwhile, is chasing a fourth Roland Garros crown and is on a 21-match win streak at the venue. Their rivalry is fierce—Djokovic leads 8-5.

Tonight’s quarterfinal is living up to the hype. Zverev took the first set 6-4. Djokovic responded by winning the second set 6-3, and in the deciding set, Zverev led 2-1 when last reported. Will Novak turn it around, or will Zverev finally seize his moment? This one’s too close to call—share your thoughts in the comments below!