Djokovic breaks incredible Federer tennis record despite ‘screwing up his knee’ in his longest ever French Open match
WHINGEING Novak Djokovic celebrated a record 370th Grand Slam singles victory – despite “screwing” up his right knee on a “slippery” main court.
The Serbian, 37, came from 2-1 down in sets to beat Argentine Francisco Cerundolo 6-1 5-7 3-6 7-5 6-3 in four hours and 39 minutes – his longest match at the French Open.
APNovak Djokovic produced a sensational comeback victory[/caption]
GettyThe Serb was made to come back from the brink against Francisco Cerundolo[/caption]
ReutersDjokovic, 37, was not always happy with the conditions[/caption]
No player, male or female, has won more matches than him across the four majors in the Open Era – he had been tied with Roger Federer on 369.
Yet the defending champion appeared to tweak a muscle in the left side of his neck after hitting a shot in the first set.
Then after three games of the second set, the seven-time Wimbledon champion took a medical timeout to receive treatment on his painful right knee.
Four games later, he called for the tournament supervisor Wayne McKewen and claimed ground staff were not SWEEPING the court enough – even though they do it before each new set.
Djokovic – whose previous match finished at 3.06am on Sunday morning – blasted: “Explain to me, why is it such a big issue to get people to sweep the court?
“Who’s playing tennis? Explain it to me.
“I screwed up my knee because I made a quick move. I’m sliding and slipping all the time.
“What’s the problem with the ground people to do it every second changeover?
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GettyDjokovic beat a Roger Federer record[/caption]
“You’re a supervisor, you’re representing us players. I’m telling you as a player it’s not okay.
“And you’re going to go with the grounds people that never play tennis? They know better than me? Ridiculous. Completely ridiculous.”
Apart from those physical issues, Djokovic also complained about the brightness of a stadium light, he took exception to someone calling out in the crowd and was unhappy when a toddler cried out.
However, once again he showed why he is the best male player there has ever been as he moved into the quarter-finals with a second straight five-set triumph.
Russian Mirra Andreeva, 17, will face Belarusian world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals after she beat France’s Varvara Gracheva 7-5 6-2.
Wimbledon will honour their financial commitment to house Ukrainian tennis stars this summer.
Last year, the All England Club kind-heartedly provided accommodation costs for those players from the war-torn nation who were competing at the Championships.
