Novak Djokovic reaches his 51st Grand Slam semi-final: Key stats
What's the story
Novak Djokovic, the 38-year-old Serbian tennis ace, has reached his record-extending 51st Grand Slam semi-final at the French Open.
He beat last year's finalist Alexander Zverev in a thrilling encounter on Wednesday.
The match ended with scores of 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, and 6-4 in favor of Djokovic.
The victory comes after two early exits at the start of this clay-court swing for Djokovic.
Match strategy
Djokovic's game plan and next opponent
Djokovic's victory over Zverev was a result of his strategic and varied approach, aimed at disrupting Zverev's solid baseline game.
The Serbian star is now on a nine-match winning streak after winning his 100th tour-level title in Geneva.
He will face top seed Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals, who defeated Alexander Bublik in straight sets earlier today.
Comeback story
Aiming for a comeback major title
Djokovic had to retire from his semi-final match against Zverev at the Australian Open in January due to a muscle tear in his left leg.
However, he made a strong comeback with an assured quarter-final showing in Paris.
The former world number one is eyeing his first major title since the 2024 Australian Open.
Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner have won all five majors since then.
Match dynamics
Djokovic tames Zverev in Paris
Zverev was looking to reach the French Open semi-finals for the fifth straight year. However, he couldn't find an answer to Djokovic's barrage of drop shots.
The German player used his serve well in the first set but failed to respond to Djokovic's varied game plan in the second set.
Despite a late charge from Zverev, Djokovic remained composed and sealed his victory on his fifth match point after three hours and 18 minutes of play.
Numbers
100-16 win-loss record at Roland Garros
Djokovic is a 24-time winner of men's singles Grand Slam crowns. He is also a 13-time runners-up.
Djokovic, who is a three-time French Open winner and a 7-time finalist in Paris, has raced to a 101-16 win-loss record at Roland Garros.
Overall, the veteran Serbian ace has raced to a 387-52 win-loss record at Grand Slams.
Opta stats
Massive records made by Djokovic
Djokovic is the first player to claim 10+ wins against top-5 at multiple men's singles Grand Slams since the ATP rankings were introduced in 1973 (Australian Open - 18 & Roland Garros -10).
Djokovic (38 years and three days) is the second-oldest player in the Open Era to reach a men's singles semi-final at Roland Garros, younger than only Richard Gonzales (40 years and 18 days, 1968).