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Novak Djokovic overcame a first-set blip to beat Russian Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-6(0), 6-2, 6-4 and reach the French Open semi-finals on Tuesday, staying on course for a record-breaking 23rd men's singles Grand Slam title.
The twice Roland Garros champion could not find a weakness in the 11th-seeded Khachanov's serve at first, but once he took the second set tiebreak there was no looking back for the Serbian.
He will be closely watching Tuesday's night match between world number one Carlos Alcaraz and fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, whose winner will be the last man standing between him and a seventh French Open final.
On a court Philippe Chatrier gradually being covered by the shade, the 36-year-old did not have a single break opportunity and looked a tad slow in the opening set, but his metronomic game eventually clicked and there was little Khachanov could do to top his opponent's march into the last four.
"He was the better player for most of the first two sets, I was struggling to find my rhythm, I came into this a bit sluggish," Djokovic said.
"Then I played a perfect tiebreak and from that moment onwards I played a couple of levels higher, managed to win eight points in a row to finish it off."
Djokovic, however, was not completely happy with his performance but knew victory would not come easy.
"I missed a couple of easy shots today. These things happen sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. He has a big serve but maybe doesn't move as well so I tried to expose him and played unpredictable. It was a big fight but that's what you expect from a Grand Slam quarter-final."
Khachanov broke Djokovic's serve to lead 3-2 and, although the world number three threatened in a 10-minute ninth game, the Russian held and went on to pocket the set.
There were no break points in the second set but Khachanov started to struggle and paid for his efforts, failing to score a point in the tiebreak as Djokovic levelled the contest.
Djokovic got the early break thanks to a netcord in the third and stole Khachanov's serve again to move one set from victory with apparent ease.
The Serbian broke again early in the fourth set, only to serve a double fault that allowed Khachanov to level for 4-4 and keep his slim hopes of an upset alive.
Coming back in the set cost Khachanov too much though and the Russian was broken to love in the following game, losing eight points in a row as Djokovic ended the contest with an ace.
Top seed Alcaraz hunts down Tsitsipas to set up Djokovic showdown
World number one Carlos Alcaraz survived a third-set wobble to cruise past fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece 6-2, 6-1, 7-6(5) on Tuesday and earn a spot in the French Open last four.
For almost three sets Alcaraz played jaw-dropping tennis, having pulverised his opponent, who staged a brief comeback to force a tiebreak in the third.
The 20-year-old will now face third seed Novak Djokovic in a mouth-watering semi-final on Friday with the Spaniard chasing a second Grand Slam title after winning the U.S. Open crown last year and the Serbian veteran on course for a record-breaking 23rd men's singles major.
"This match is what everyone wanted to watch and it is going to be a really good match to play and to watch," Alcaraz said of Friday's semi-final.
"If you want to be the best you have to beat the best and he(Djokovic) is one of the best players in the world."
Alcaraz did not take long to put Tsitsipas under pressure, breaking him on his second service game.
The 24-year-old Greek, still searching for an elusive first Grand Slam title, could not match Alcaraz's power and precision and the Spaniard broke him to love with a sensational running forehand down the line to go 5-2 up.
He wrapped up the first set, winning 12 of the last 14 points played, but he was equally relentless in the second to break Tsitsipas in the very first game to love.
Like a bear hunting down prey, Alcaraz did not let off, forcing the Greek into the net with superb and constant drop shots or stretching him wide on his backhand.
He added another break to his rapidly growing collection to go 4-1 up and even the crowd, clearly backing Tsitsipas, could not spark a comeback as Alcaraz bagged the second set a little later with his dazed opponent double-faulting.
It was a similar story in the third as he earned a quick break and took a 5-1 lead, before he squandered three match points. Tsitsipas launched a four-game comeback but Alcaraz ended it on his fifth match point.
"Of course I lost my focus a little bit (in the third set). I was in trouble but am happy to overcome that problem and still be focused, playing a great level. But it was pretty tough at the end of the match," Alcaraz said.
"Believing in myself all the time, that's the most important thing," he said. "I always think that I am going to play these kinds of matches at this level. The key is to enjoy. That's the key," he said with his trademark beaming smile.
