Novak Djokovic defeated Alexander Zverev in a thrilling four-set quarterfinal match at the French Open 2025. A remarkable 41-shot rally highlighted Djokovic's resilience and skill, propelling him to victory and a spot in the semifinal.
The Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic and German star Alexander Zverev were engaged in an epic 41-shot rally in the quarterfinal clash of the ongoing French Open 2025 at the Court Philippe-Chatrier on Wednesday, June 4.
Novak Djokovic emerged victorious over Alexander Zverev in four sets - 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to seal a spot in his 13th semifinal at Roland Garros and overall, 51st semifinal across all four Grand Slam events. Djokovic lost his opening set to Zverev in his record-breaking 19th Grand Slam quarterfinal, much to the shock of the Paris crowd, as the 38-year-old did not lose a single set in the first four rounds of his campaign.
However, the Serbian tennis star found his rhythm quickly in the second set, shifting his gears with his trademark baseline consistency and tactical brilliance to take control of the match. Then, Djokovic dominated the next two sets against Alexander Zverev with clinical precision in order to advance to the semifinal.
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Djokovic’s 41-shot rally win steals the spotlight
As Novak Djokovic registered his victory over Alexander Zverev to make it to the semifinal, the talking point from the match was the breathtaking 41-shot rally that left the Paris crowd in awe.
A marathon rally came in the fourth set of the quarterfinal clash when Djokovic was 3-2 ahead of Zverev and trailing in the sixth game with the score 30-40, where he saved a crucial breakpoint by outlasting the German tennis star in a grueling 41-point exchange that ended with a perfect forehand shot, hitting the ball to the right of Zverev, who was at the baseline in the hope of forcing an error.
However, Djokovic’s precision and court coverage proved too good as the ball raced past Zverev, who could only watch in frustration. As soon as the 38-year-old completed a 41-shot rally with a win, the Paris crowd erupted in applause and gave a standing ovation to the Serbian tennis star for his extraordinary resilience and shot-making brilliance.
The 41-shot rally win proved to be a turning point of the match for Djokovic as he won the game after being trailed 30-40 and never looked back, breaking Zverev’s momentum and closing out the set to seal his spot in the semifinal.
Djokovic’s 25th Grand Slam quest continues
With his quarterfinal victory over Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic's quest for his fourth French Open title and a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam triumph continues as he will take on Italian tennis star and World No.1 Jannik Sinner in a much-anticipated semifinal clash on Friday, June 6.
Djokovic is currently tied with Australian tennis legend Margret Court with 24 Major titles. He is one of the three male players, alongside Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, to win 20 or more Grand Slam titles in the history of tennis. The legend became the male player with the most Grand Slam titles when he clinched his fourth US Open triumph in 2023.
Recently, Novak Djokovic achieved the feat of becoming the second player after Rafael Nadal to complete 100 match wins at Roland Garros. He achieved this milestone by defeating Cameron Norrie in the fourth round of men’s singles. Djokovic is just the third male player after Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and the sixth overall after Serena Williams, Chris Evert, and Martina Navratilova to record 100 or more match victories at a single Grand Slam event.
