Djokovic beats Zverev to set up Sinner semi-final

Novak Djokovic is on a quest for his 25th Grand Slam title. He defeated third seed Alexander Zverev to reach the French Open semi-finals.

The 38-year-old sixth seed won with scores of 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, and 6-4. He will face world number one Jannik Sinner on Friday.

Djokovic has three Roland Garros titles. He lost the first set after being broken in the first game. However, he did not drop serve again during the match.

Djokovic survived a tough break point at 3-2 in the fourth set. This victory marks his record-extending 51st Grand Slam semi-final appearance.

"My way of playing is based on running," Djokovic said. "But at my age, it's not easy to run so much." He is now the second oldest man to reach the French Open semi-finals.

Sinner advanced with a straight-set win over Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik earlier on Thursday. The Italian won decisively with scores of 6-1, 7-5, and 6-0.

Sinner has yet to drop a set at Roland Garros this year. He aims for his first title on Paris clay after reaching the semis last year.

Djokovic or Sinner will meet the winner of Carlos Alcaraz and Lorenzo Musetti, who play Friday.

Despite his age, Djokovic's desire for Grand Slam success remains strong. His recent season raised questions about his stamina and motivation.

The departure of rival Andy Murray from his team indicated challenges ahead. Yet Djokovic consistently performs well in major tournaments.

In Melbourne, he reached the semi-finals but suffered a hamstring injury against Zverev. This showed he still has what it takes to compete against younger players.

"I think my wins prove I can still play at a high level," Djokovic said. "I thrive on these occasions."

Zverev was once seen as a potential successor to tennis greats like Djokovic and Nadal. This defeat highlighted Zverev's struggles against Djokovic’s experience and skill.

Zverev often played too passively during their match. Djokovic took control by dictating play and using effective drop shots.

Midway through the fourth set, Zverev thought he could come back but was denied by an incredible point from Djokovic.

After three hours and 17 minutes, Djokovic secured victory with another clever drop shot that caught Zverev off guard.

Sinner continues to dominate as he seeks his first title at Roland Garros. He already holds two Australian Open titles and one US Open title.

His performance since returning from a doping ban has been impressive for rivals. The world number one has been dominant on tour over the past year and a half.

Victory over Bublik extended Sinner's winning streak at majors to 19 matches following previous triumphs in New York and Melbourne this year.

He needed only one hour and 51 minutes to defeat Bublik convincingly in their quarter-final match.

Bublik had an unexpected run at Roland Garros but faced tough competition against Sinner today.

"I know him quite well," Sinner said about Bublik's unpredictable style of play. "I tried to stay focused because he can have ups and downs."