Djokovic beats heat to set up Olympic clash against Tsitsipas

PARIS — Novak Djokovic beat the punishing heat and Germany’s Dominik Koepfer on Wednesday to set up a mouthwatering Olympic quarter-final against Stefanos Tsitsipas as he hunts an elusive gold medal.

The Serbian top seed, who crushed Rafael Nadal in the previous round, came through 7-5, 6-3 in sweltering conditions in the first match on Court Philippe Chatrier.

“I’m soaking wet, honestly,” he said moments after his win. “It’s a very, very humid day as it was yesterday. I just hope it rains so it cools down the temperature a bit and the air.

“But it is what it is. You have to kind of accept and embrace the conditions and it’s the same for you and your opponents so you have to try to make the best out of it.”

The 24-time Grand Slam champion broke Koepfer early but the German world number 70 returned the favour in the next game to get back on serve.

Djokovic, a three-time French Open champion on the clay courts at Roland Garros, took the first set 7-5 when Koepfer went long to concede another break.

As the sun beat down on Court Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic found his groove, surging into a 3-0 lead to take a grip on the second set, sealing the win with a minimum of fuss.

Thursday’s quarter-final against Greece’s Tsitsipas will be a repeat of the 2021 French Open final, which Djokovic won in five gruelling sets.

Tsitsipas, the world number 11, eased past Argentina’s Sebastian Baez 7-5, 6-1 in his third-round tie.

Djokovic is yet to drop a set in three rounds of tennis in Paris.

The 37-year-old, searching for his first trophy in 2024, is still wearing strapping on his right knee after undergoing an operation in June.

He was a bronze medallist on his Olympic debut in 2008 but is targeting gold in Paris to complete his staggering collection of trophies.

The World No. 2 said representing Serbia at the Olympic Games was the “greatest honour”.

“Of course, bringing a medal to Serbia has always been a big goal of mine since my first Olympic Games in Beijing, where I managed to get my only medal so far,” he said.

Djokovic said he expected a “big fight and a tight match” against Tsitipas.

“Big serve, big forehand, I know his game very well,” he said. “He’s been one of the most consistent guys out there on the tour in the last five to 10 years.”

Tsitsipas, who is 2-11 in head to heads against Djokovic, said it was important for tennis players to have the memory of a “goldfish” to forget defeats.

“I just need to get out and try and be better than the rest of the times that I’ve played him,” said the 25-year-old.

“We’ve had a lot of matches against each other and it’s been the toughest lessons I’ve had on a tennis court.”