Djokovic Advances Amid PSG Celebrations at French Open \ TezzBuzz \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Novak Djokovic advanced to the French Open fourth round for a 16th straight year. His straight-sets win over Filip Misolic was marked by loud PSG fan celebrations nearby. The tennis legend remains unbeaten in sets while Paris celebrates its Champions League victory.
Novak Djokovic marched into the fourth round of the 2025 French Open on Saturday night with a commanding 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Austrian qualifier Philip MISOLICcontinuing his streak of reaching the tournament’s second week for the 16th consecutive year. But this particular match — held under the lights on Court Philippe-Chatrier — unfolded in a uniquely Parisian atmosphere, one that blended world-class tennis with euphoric soccer celebrations.
As Djokovic calmly dismantled his opponent, just blocks away, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was making history of its own — winning the Champions League final for the first time with a stunning 5-0 rout over Inter Milan in Munich. The energy from that monumental victory seeped into the tennis stadium, where fans, glued to their phones, erupted with every PSG goal. Fireworks could be heard across the skyline from Princes parkand fans inside the tennis arena shouted and cheered mid-rally, creating a surreal sporting overlap.
Djokovic, a football fan himself, admitted afterward that he had hoped not to be scheduled at the same time as the big match. “It was interesting. The crowd was really following the game,” he said, laughing during his post-match press conference. “I could hear when they scored. It was way too many times that they were celebrating. I was like, ‘Wow, this is a lot of goals from Paris!’ Now I heard it’s 5-0. Quite a result, to be honest.”
The noise reached a peak during the third set when, in the middle of a prolonged rally, PSG scored its fourth goal — triggering a roar from the crowd that nearly overshadowed the point. The chair umpire was forced to ask fans to lower their volume, but the request was met with boos and whistlesadding to the charged, celebratory energy in the stadium.
Despite the distractions, Djokovic showed once again why he’s considered one of the most mentally disciplined athletes in sports. While Misolic, ranked No. 153, showed flashes of potential, the outcome was never truly in doubt. Djokovic, 38, played with control and focus, committing only 14 unforced errorsproducing 33 winnersand converting his 10th break point opportunity to seize control midway through the second set. He saved the only break point he faced and never allowed Misolic a foothold in the match.
This win brought Djokovic’s career record at Roland Garros to 99-16equaling his match win total at the Australian Openwhere he has famously dominated. It’s a milestone that underscores his sustained excellence across surfaces, particularly impressive at a clay-court event long dominated by Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic reflected on his form, saying, “Solid when I needed to be. There’s always something to improve. Something to get better at. But overall, I have to be pleased with the level of tennis so far.”
His third-round performance also highlighted his strategic brilliance. Against a much younger opponent — Misolic is 15 years his junior — Djokovic used angles, depth, and variation to methodically dismantle the Austrian’s game. Misolic, playing only his second Grand Slam, was put under constant pressure and failed to match Djokovic’s rhythm and shot tolerance from the baseline.
Next up for the Serbian superstar is a fourth-round encounter with Cam Norriea gritty British left-hander known for his grinding baseline style. Djokovic holds a 5-0 head-to-head lead over Norrie, including a recent win at the Geneva Openwhere Djokovic collected his 100th career ATP title. Their most high-profile encounter came in the 2022 Wimbledon semifinalswhere Djokovic recovered from a set down to cruise into the final.
“He’s a big fighter. He’s a grinder,” Djokovic said about Norrie. “Cameron is known for that on the tour. He’s not going to give you anything for free.”
The night also held emotional resonance for Djokovic, who last year was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a torn meniscus suffered in the fourth round. That injury abruptly ended his 2024 French Open campaign, making this year’s healthy return to form all the more meaningful. With 24 Grand Slam titles under his belt and eyes set on extending that record, Djokovic appears to be playing with renewed hunger and clarity.
But while his tennis was front and center, it was the atmosphere that made the night unforgettable — a city-wide celebration unfolding in real time, bleeding into the stoic traditions of Roland Garros. Djokovic acknowledged the special setting: “Night sessions are always different. They’re always louder. The people are always more excited. Everything is always loud and different from a day session.”
He added with a grin: “It’s going to be quite a journey getting back to the hotel tonight. Probably not much sleep. But it’s a fun night to be in Paris, I guess.”
Indeed, it was a night where two sporting titans — Djokovic on the clay and PSG on the pitch — each took a step toward history, their victories echoing across a city that rarely sleeps when its heroes win.
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