Djokovic beats Norrie to join Nadal in French Open century club

Three-time champion Novak Djokovic roared into the French Open quarterfinals by beating Briton Cameron Norrie 6-2 6-3 6-2 for his 100th match victory at Roland Garros on Monday to join Rafa Nadal in one of sport's most exclusive fraternities.

The Serbian's determined performance ensured he became only the second man to win a century of matches at the Parisian Grand Slam after the retired Nadal (112), keeping him on track for a record 25th major at the site of his Olympic gold last year.

It also made Roland Garros Djokovic's most successful Grand Slam in terms of match wins, bettering the 99 victories that the has at the Australian Open, though the 38-year-old has lifted the trophy a staggering 10 times at Melbourne Park.

Djokovic arrived in Paris having won his 100th tour-level trophy in an otherwise lacklustre year and has not dropped a set in the tournament so far to remind his much younger title rivals of his undiminished hunger for more milestones.

He swapped breaks early on with Norrie in the first set but ran the 29-year-old ragged thereafter to win it before shrugging off another wobble on serve in a draining second set to pull away and double his advantage on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Djokovic broke to love in the third game of the third set after an unforced error by Norrie and the former world number one never looked back from there to book a last-eight meeting with German third seed Alexander Zverev. 

Third seed Alexander Zverev advanced to the quarters after his opponent Tallon Griekspoor retired midway through the second set on Monday.

The Dutchman was 6-4 3-0 down when he called for the medic and after a very brief discussion the umpire announced his retirement. It was not immediately clear what kind of injury Griekspoor had suffered.

Madison Keys fought off a late challenge from fellow American Hailey Baptiste to book her spot in the quarterfinals with a 6-3 7-5 victory.

The seventh-seeded Keys cantered through the opening set before Baptiste broke for 3-1 in the second, pushing the Australian Open champion to the limit on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Baptiste eventually cracked, allowing her opponent and friend to set up a meeting with second seed Coco Gauff in the next round, ensuring an American presence in the semifinals.

“Hailey is such an amazing player, it was such a tough second set. Today I just had to kind of make as many balls as possible,” said Keys.

The 30-year-old could count on the support of new US Billie Jean King Cup captain and former coach Lindsay Davenport plus 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens, who is sidelined through injury and was also watching from the stands.

“We've a lot of really great players constantly helping us, inspiring us and if we have any questions they're of great help. It's great being friends with such amazing players,” she added.

Keys, who only has one clay court title to her name, will face an expert on the red surface in Gauff and knows she will have to take risks to reach the last four in Paris for the second time after making the semis in 2018.

“At the Australian Open I was really brave to go after my shots, that's how I play my best tennis. Sometimes it is hard but usually it pays off,” she added. 

Local favourite Lois Boisson moved into the quarters with a stunning 3-6 6-4 6-4 victory over world number three Jessica Pegula.

Mirra Andreeva became the youngest player to reach back-to-back French quarterfinals in nearly three decades after the gifted Russian teenager overcame Australian 17th seed Daria Kasatkina 6-3 7-5.

The powerful 18-year-old has scythed through the women's field at Roland Garros without dropping a set and her fourth-round victory on a sunbathed Court Suzanne Lenglen helped her match the feat of Swiss Martina Hingis between 1997 and 1998.

Reuters