
Novak Djokovic's new challenger: The lefty Brit who dares to break the King's clay reign
Cameron Norrie, the British left-hander known for his relentless baseline play, has been making waves at the 2025 French Open. After a challenging 2024 season marred by a torn biceps and a drop in rankings, Norrie has rediscovered his form and passion for the game.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
His journey to the fourth round at Roland Garros has been marked by significant victories. Norrie stunned former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in a five-set thriller, marking his first win over the Russian in five attempts. He then dispatched Federico Gomez in straight sets and overcame fellow Brit Jacob Fearnley, despite external distractions from nearby fireworks.
Djokovic's Milestone March
, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, continues to etch his name into the history books. Fresh off his 100th career ATP title at the Geneva Open, Djokovic is now eyeing his 100th match win at Roland Garros—a feat only Rafael Nadal has
At 38, Djokovic remains a formidable force. His straight-sets victory over Filip Misolic in the third round showcased his enduring dominance on clay
The Anticipated Showdown
Norrie and Djokovic are set to clash in the fourth round, a rematch of their 2022 Wimbledon semi-final.
While Djokovic holds a 5-0 record over Norrie, the Brit's recent form suggests a more competitive encounter.
Norrie acknowledges the challenge ahead: "I need to step up and bring my best game against Novak." With renewed confidence and a series of impressive wins, Norrie aims to test Djokovic's quest for another milestone.
Norrie vs. Djokovic: What's at Stake
For Djokovic, a win would not only mark his 100th victory at Roland Garros but also keep him on track for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title. For Norrie, it's an opportunity to cement his comeback and make a deep run in a major tournament.
As the tennis world watches, this clash promises high-quality rallies, strategic play, and a test of resilience. Whether the seasoned champion or the resurgent challenger prevails, fans are in for a treat.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Sabalenka, Swiatek set up final before final
Mumbai: One of the biggest takeaways from when the French Open draws were made was that Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek were put in the same half of the women's singles event. Here we had the reigning world No.1 Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam champion on a collision course with the three-time defending champion and fifth seed Swiatek, should they get to the semi-final. On Tuesday, both came up with straight-set wins in their respective quarter-final to set up a mouth watering semi-final. In many ways, the final before the final. Sabalenka was coming up against the Olympic champion, who had beaten the Belarusian a week before the French Open, at the Rome Masters. Zheng made the first big move in the match by earning a break in the third game of the opening set. But Sabalenka wouldn't go away, despite Zheng looking the sharper of the two players early on. The top seed eventually got a break back before clinching the set in the tiebreaker. They traded breaks early in the second set only for Sabalenka to break once again at 3-3. With Zheng serving to stay in the match, Sabalenka unleashed a series of powerful backhands that the Chinese had no answer to. In the second quarter-final, Swiatek was in control in the first set. In the second though, Svitolina found greater depth and rhythm on her forehand as she challenged the Pole's firepower. It took some more heavy-hitting from Swiatek to find the break in the 11th game, and then she served out for the match with three aces in the final game. And with it, she ensured a 13th meeting with Sabalenka. The pair will come into the match on the back of contrasting form. Sabalenka has been the player to beat, with a 39/6 record so far this season, including three titles. Reaching the semi-final means that Sabalenka is now only the third woman in the last 30 years to reach nine Grand Slam semi-finals in 10 appearances, along with Serena Williams and Martina Hingis. The three Grand Slams Sabalenka has won so far have all come on hard courts. But she does have a game that can work on any surface - she has reached the semi-final without dropping a set. Up next for the 27-year-old though is a player often dubbed the 'Queen of Clay.' Swiatek has not won any trophies so far this season, and has a 32/9 record on the tour in 2025. The 24-year-old is now on a 26-match unbeaten run at the French Open, where she has won four of her five Grand Slam titles. Going into the semi-final, Swiatek has an 8-4 head-to-head record against Sabalenka. At the majors though, they met only once, when Swiatek won their semi-final at the US Open in 2022. The next meeting though is important for both players for various reasons. Sabalenka is looking to break away from the tag of being a hard-court specialist - despite having recently won the Madrid Masters on clay. Swiatek meanwhile is hoping to get her season back on track. But she knows she is in for a rough battle ahead. 'Aryna is always a challenge. She has a game for every surface. I need to focus on myself, do the work, be brave with my shots and go for it,' Swiatek said after beating Svitolina. 'She's been having a great season, it is going to be a tough match.' Tough, and possibly the biggest at this French Open. For both players.


India Today
3 hours ago
- India Today
French Open: Merciless Carlos Alcaraz makes easy work of Tommy Paul to reach semis
Carlos Alcaraz was in no mood to negotiate. The defending French Open champion delivered a ruthless performance under the lights of Court Philippe-Chatrier on Tuesday, dismantling American Tommy Paul 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 to book his place in the semifinals of Roland reigning Roland-Garros champion lived up to his billing as the favourite, delivering his most complete display of the tournament so far. From the outset, the Spaniard set a blistering pace, overwhelming Paul with a combination of power, precision, and flair that left the American raced through the opening set in just 25 minutes, sealing it 6-0 and setting the tone for what would be a one-sided contest. Paul managed to hold serve to open the second set, but that was the extent of his resistance. Alcaraz responded by winning six straight games, taking the second set 6-1 with ease. The third set saw Paul offer some resistance, edging ahead 2-1 and later drawing level at 4-4, but the Spaniard remained composed. With unrelenting intensity and faultless execution, Alcaraz closed out the match 6-4, sealing a straight-sets victory in under two hours. MASTERCLASS #RolandGarros Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 3, 2025The win extended Alcaraz's unbeaten run on clay to 11 matches this season, improving his overall record on the surface to 20-1. He now leads the ATP Tour with 35 match wins and three titles in 2025, underlining his dominance during the clay this victory, Alcaraz also became the first defending men's champion at Roland-Garros to return to the semi-finals the following year since Rafael Nadal in 2021. The Spaniard will now face Italy's Lorenzo Musetti in the last four, after the eighth seed defeated Frances Tiafoe in four sets earlier in the a semi-finalist at the 2023 Australian Open, had enjoyed an impressive run in Paris, becoming the first American man to reach the quarter-finals here in over two decades. Alongside Tiafoe, he also helped end a 29-year wait for two American men to feature in the last eight at Roland-Garros in the same against Alcaraz, there was little either could have done. With his mix of raw talent, court intelligence and competitive fire, the Spaniard is making an emphatic case to retain his crown in Paris — and perhaps usher in a new era of dominance on the red Watch


The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
French Open 2025, June 4 order of play: Djokovic, Sinner and Gauff in action in quarterfinals
Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner and Coco Gauff are some of the big names who will be in action in the quarterfinals on the 11th day of French Open 2025 at Roland Garros, Paris on Wednesday. Here's the full list of quarterfinal fixtures (singles only) for day 11 of French Open 2025: Court Philippe-Chatrier Women's Singles - [2] Coco Gauff (USA) vs [7] Madison Keys (USA) - 2:30PM IST Women's Singles - [6] Mirra Andreeva vs [WC] Lois Boisson (FRA) Men's Singles - [1] Jannik Sinner (ITA) vs Alexander Bublik (KAZ) Men's Singles - [3] Alexander Zverev (GER) vs [6] Novak Djokovic (SRB) - Not before 11:45PM IST Where to watch French Open 2025 in India? In India, viewers can watch the live telecast of the French Open on the Sony Sports Network and stream the matches live on SonyLiv, JioTV and FanCode.