Novak Djokovic overcomes Philipp Kohlschreiber in four sets on Monday at Roland Garros. Next up for Djokovic is a quarterfinal encounter with Tommy Haas, who annihilated Mikhail Youzhny 6-1, 6-1, 6-3.
(1) Novak Djokovic d. (16) Philipp Kohlschreiber 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
Djokovic recovered from a set deficit to beat Kohlschreiber in two hours and 42 minutes during fourth-round action at the French Open on Monday afternoon. The top seed served at 74 percent and converted four of eight break points to ensure a quarterfinal showdown against Tommy Haas.
For the tournament’s top two favorites, fourth-round action represented something of a role reversal. Whereas Djokovic had been dominant through three matches, Rafael Nadal endured a relative struggle–dropping two sets in the process. In the last 16, however, Nadal crushed Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 while Djokovic took his turn to make a minor comeback.
Kohlschreiber, who also did not surrender a single set throughout the first week, got off to a fast start by breaking for 3-2 in the first set. The 19th-ranked German struck a tentative overhead on break point, but Djokovic replied with an errant forehand. Kohlschreiber served out the opener from there for a surprising early advantage.
A momentum shift came with Kohlschreiber serving at 1-2 in the second. After digging out of a 0-30 hole in the third game, Djokovic survived a four-deuce game and earned his first break of the day when his opponent sent a backhand past the baseline. The Serb eventually saved four break points at 3-1 and two more at 5-2 to consolidate his lead. A much more routine hold–to love at 5-3–allowed Djokovic to level things at one set apiece.
More of the same continued in sets two and three. Djokovic broke for 2-1 then fought off two break points in the following game for another tough hold. The world No. 1 finally gave a break back when he served for the match at 5-2 in the third, but he made no mistake with a second chance in the 10th game. On his second math point at 5-4, 40-30, Djokovic delivered a backhand winner to clinch victory in style.
(12) Tommy Haas d. (29) Mikhail Youzhny 6-1, 6-1, 6-3
One hour and 24 minutes? That’s just what the doctor ordered for Haas. Two days earlier against John Isner, Haas had played three sets–out of five in total–that lasted almost as long as the entirety of his fourth-round French Open match against Mikhail Youzhny on Monday afternoon. The 35-year-old German struck a clean 25 winners compared to a mere 18 unforced errors in a 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 rout.
Youzhny, who had just rolled over Haas 6-4, 6-3 last month on clay courts of Rome, actually broke serve in the opening game of the match. From there, though, it went downhill swiftly and decisively for the 31st-ranked Russian. He did win another game in the in the first set and he did not hold serve a single time until already finding himself trailing 4-0 in the second.
After being broken right off the bat, Haas dropped only nine points in his next six service games en route to a commanding two-set advantage. The 35-year-old German donated serve to begin the third set, but he again broke back right away for 1-1. It was all but over when Haas converted his fourth break chance of Youzhny’s service effort at 2-3. The world No. 14 fought off four break points along the way in set three, but a more routine hold at 5-3 wrapped up the proceedings.
“What I’m really proud about is that I reached the quarterfinals here for the first time, not knowing if that was ever going to be possible,” explained Haas, who has now been to the quarters at least once at all four Grand Slams. “It’s a great success for me.”
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