Novak Djokovic is riding high at the French Open and aiming for a fourth crown

In the third round of the French Open Men's Singles, sixth seed and three-time French Open champion Novak Djokovic continued his strong performance in the first two rounds, defeating qualifying dark horse Misolic 6-3 6-4 6-2 in straight sets to advance to the round of 16. The victory not only brought Djokovic's tally of wins at the French Open to 99, tying his record for most wins in a single Grand Slam at the Australian Open, but also making him a fourth-round French Open for the 16th consecutive and 19th career time.

Against world No. 153 qualifier Misolic, Djokovic showed the composure and experience of a veteran and controlled the pace of the match. Although Misolic had impressive performances in the previous two rounds – a three-hour win over Chinese rising star Buyun Chokert in the first round and a five-set win over 27th seed Shapovalov in the second round, Djokovic was clearly lacking in attacking threat to shake the Serbian defence.

Deyo's serve, baseline hold and key points were all absolutely dominant, and he did not concede a single break point in the whole match, and it took only 1 hour and 58 minutes to win comfortably. In contrast, Misolic had endured more than three hours of battle in the previous two rounds, and the gap in fitness reserves made it difficult for him to cause an upset in the third round.

The victory took Djokovic's tally of wins at the French Open to 99, tying his own record for the most wins in a single Grand Slam at the Australian Open (99). A win over Norrie in the next round would see him break the record for a single Grand Slam win and further cement his status as the 'best ever'. In addition, Djokovic has reached at least the fourth round of the French Open for at least 16 consecutive years, a statistic second only to Nadal and Federer, demonstrating his enduring dominance on clay.

Djokovic's opponent in the round of 16 will be British brother Cameron Norrie, who beat compatriot Fienley 6-3 7-6(1) 6-2 in the third round to advance. Norrie has improved significantly in recent years, improving his baseline defense and backhand stability, and has reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon in 2022 and has a certain upset ability.

However, Djokovic has won all five meetings with the British, most recently in the semi-finals in Geneva before this year's French Open. Norrie can cause some trouble, but it will be extremely difficult to defeat Deyo in a best-of-five match. Deyo's current form and tactical execution are still on the line, especially his return and key point mentality, which are still difficult for young players to match. If he stays fit, he is still one of the favourites to win the French Open.

In this French Open, Djokovic's performance has been steadily improving, gradually improving, and he has not lost a set in the first three rounds, showing a good competitive state. As the game progresses, his experience and ability to adjust will be key. If he progresses to the quarterfinals, he will move closer to his 25th Grand Slam title and extend his legendary record in men's tennis.

In the next round against Norrie, Djokovic will need to stay focused and avoid getting caught up in a protracted battle. And what fans are looking forward to more may be his peak showdown with Alcaraz, Sinner and other new generation masters in the second week. The battle at the French Open is intensifying, and the legend of Deyo continues!(Source: Tennis Home Author: Mei)