Novak Djokovic sees off Stefanos Tsitsipas - Olympic men's singles tennis quarter-finals recap

Updated 01/08/2024 at 20:16 GMT+1

Relive our live text coverage of the men's tennis event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Novak Djokovic edged closer to winning his first Olympic gold medal by sinking Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-final. The Serbian is in red-hot form in the French capital so far and he has failed to drop a set during the Paris Olympics.

Djokovic gives Nadal a 'thumbs up' after being sold outrageous dummy

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GAME, SET AND MATCH! – DJOKOVIC 6-3 7-6 TSITSIPAS

Novak Djokovic’s Gold Medal dream lives on as he produces a stirring recovery from 4-0 down in the second to prevail in 7-3 in the breaker and book his spot in the semi finals at the 2024 Paris Games.

The Serb’s bid for that elusive Olympic title appeared to be in jeopardy when he seemed to twist the knee which had required surgery prior to Wimbledon.

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However, he stormed back from a double break down to avoid a decider and get the job done in straight sets.

Djokovic will now meet Lorenzo Musetti in the last four.

Novak Djokovic en su primer partido en París 2024.

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TIE-BREAK LATEST: DJOKOVIC 4-2 TSITSIPAS

Djokovic coughs up the first mini break with a forehand long but Tsitsipas returns the compliment with a horribly miscued backhand.

The Greek then double faults and Novak takes advantage with a 1-2 forehand punch to lead at the change of ends.

DJOKOVIC 6-3 6-6 TSITSIPAS

There’s no late twist to flip the set Stef’s way as Novak darts through a clean hold to take us into a breaker.

DJOKOVIC 6-3 5-6 TSITSIPAS

Tsitsipas guns that big forehand and fires down the first serve to good effect as he avoids a complete catastrophe with a much-needed hold to 15.

DJOKOVIC 6-3 5-5 TSITSIPAS

It’s heartbreaking stuff for Stef.

Some incredible defence sees him hoist an amazing defensive lob to the corner that ends with Djokovic butchering the bounce smash into the net.

It’s 15-30 and the crowd get behind the Greek who is two points from the set.

Djokovic retorts with clutch serving and, even when Tsitsipas conjures up a beastly forehand up the line to pave a path to deuce, more hefty serving ensures the top seed consolidates.

BREAK! – DJOKOVIC 6-3 4-5 TSITSIPAS

Tsitsipas appears to mean business as a series of forehands help clock up THREE set points.

However, a rushed forehand under pressure blows one and it’s déjà vu on the second.

The backhand then malfunctions at the worst possible time with a shank into the stands and Djokovic is alive at deuce.

A lightning return from the Serb - a real feature since 40-0 - forces another error long and suddenly it’s break back point.

A brutal 1-2 punch bats it away but Stef is struggling to keep calm now and two overcooked forehands allow the Serb to snatch the second break back.

*A REMINDER: the No.8 seed was 4-0 up in this set and cruising against what appeared to be an injured opponent…

DJOKOVIC 6-3 3-5 TSITSIPAS

The pain-killer Djokovic took certainly seems to have kicked in as he’s buzzing around that baseline and showing no signs of any issue now.

A sublime backhand winner down the line and an ace down the T sandwich two dire returns from Stef to help the top seed hold to love.

It’s a massive game for Stefanos right here, right now as he attempts to serve his way into a decider.

DJOKOVIC 6-3 2-5 TSITSIPAS

Stefanos resists Djokovic’s upturn in movement, form and general well-being with a strong hold to 15 to move within a game of forcing the decider.

DJOKOVIC 6-3 2-4 TSITSIPAS

A sumptuous drop shot is followed by a clinical crosscourt backhand pass to suggest Djokovic is beginning to find form again.

Tsitsipas looks a tad lost but suddenly ignites with a rasping crosscourt return winner.

Djokovic falters badly with a shocking miss into the net with the court gaping and then rifles a forehand long to offer up another break point.

The Serb’s forehand comes to the rescue but Stef charges on to a short ball to brush away another forehand that clips the baseline to earn a second bite of the cherry.

One of the best rallies of the match follows but it’s Nole’s drop-shot lob combo that saves the day before a stun volley takes care of the Greek’s desperate hot-dog attempt.

Djoker lands an ace to fend off a third that was again created by a trademark forehand from the No.8 seed and he somehow navigates his way out of trouble from there to stay in touch.

BREAK! – DJOKOVIC 6-3 1-4 TSITSIPAS

Tsitsipas needs to play solid and move Nole as much as possible.

So, what does he do? Miss the first serve, fire off the island and try drop shots that aren’t his forte.

A wild backhand sums up the disaster of a service game and Novak takes it to love to snatch one of the breaks right back.

Cue the sit-down, some pain medication and time for the top seed to regain some composure.

BREAK! – DJOKOVIC 6-3 0-4 TSITSIPAS

There’s no obvious treatment during the change of ends and Djokovic jogs to the service line to get on with the contest.

There’s also some nice movement at the net with an angled volley, but Stef tracks it down to tease a backhand winner down the line for 30-30.

The Greek somehow jabs a backhand return into play after a nasty bounce off the T, but Nole somehow contrives to lash a forehand he’d usually make in his sleep wide.

It gets worse seconds later as he darts forward prematurely and guides an improvised volley wide.

Tsitsipas has a double break and Serbian concerns over that knee continue to raise despite his attempts to hide it.

DJOKOVIC 6-3 0-3 TSITSIPAS

It’s all happening out there.

Tsitsipas threatens to undo all of his own good work with a shocker of a service game, allowing Novak to surge to the forecourt and hammer a winner down the line en route to two break back points.

It doesn't go to the Serb's script, however, as Djokovic arrows a strange backhand wide and then jabs another awkward one out into the same tramlines.

It suddenly becomes clear that he has an issue with that knee that he had surgery on pre-Wimbledon.

Stef keeps his focus enough to consolidate from deuce, but all eyes are now on Nole, who is grimacing as the physio assesses the problem.

BREAK! – DJOKOVIC 6-3 0-2 TSITSIPAS

It’s the first really wobbly service game from Novak as a double fault and some aggressive returning from Tsitsipas tee up a break point.

A clutch serve helps Nole evade it and make deuce but he twice loses his footing trying to negate thumping forehands and the errors lead to a potential lift-off moment for Stef as he breaks at the second opportunity.

DJOKOVIC 6-3 0-1 TSITSIPAS

Alarm bells ring for Stefanos as some tentative play is punished by Djokovic as he hunts the early break at 0-30.

Tsitsipas responds with clutch serving to dig his way out of what was becoming a big hole to snare the scoreboard advantage at the start of Set 2.

SET! – DJOKOVIC 6-3 TSITSIPAS

That is sensational!

Djokovic fizzes wide on the first of two set points and looks on the verge of being pushed to deuce when Tsitsipas booms a forehand to his left corner.

The Serb hoists up a defensive lob and then darts to his right to claw at a smash on the stretch and somehow re-direct a fabulous forehand crosscourt pass beyond his opponent to wrap up the set.

DJOKOVIC 5-3 TSITSIPAS

Stef drills a tepid backhand approach up the line into the net, but Djoker’s hopes of forcing through the set from 30-30 fade quickly as the Greek conjures up a pair of powerhouse serves to hold.

Djokovic will now serve for the set.

DJOKOVIC 5-2 TSITSIPAS

Djokovic continues to overwork the Tsitsipas backhand but he gets burnt when the No.8 seed catches a sweet one down the line that forces an error for 30-30.

The Greek produces a tremendously deep return and backs it up with a sweeping forehand and drive volley to then make deuce.

Djokovic appears to feel little pressure as a timely first serve and a wonderful backhand down the line edge him through another hold.

DJOKOVIC 4-2 TSITSIPAS

That’s more like it, but Stef’s going to need a whole lot more of the same to turn the tables in this contest.

The Greek manages to dictate the majority of the rallies with the aid of the first serve and he pockets a morale-boosting clean hold when Nole just fails to pick-up his surprise dropper from deep.

DJOKOVIC 4-1 TSITSIPAS

It has been an imperious start from Djokovic.

The 24-time major winner is definitely playing the best tennis of his season here at the Olympics and Tsitsipas is being given the run around at present.

The final point of the match is an exemplar of how on top the Serb is as he moves the Greek from side to side with crisp ball-striking off both flanks before a superb wrong-footing forehand ensures he consolidates to 15.

BREAK! – DJOKOVIC 3-1 TSITSIPAS

Trouble continues to brew on the Tsitsipas serve and it’s no major surprise to see Djokovic strike first blood.

The Serb presses his opponent into his backhand wing before sizzling a forehand down the opposite line to turn up the heat at 30-30.

Stef makes his own life difficult with an overcooked forehand long and the serve can’t help him out of danger this time as a rocket of a crosscourt forehand from the top seed is simply too good.

DJOKOVIC 2-1 TSITSIPAS

Djokovic is relentlessly attacking that Tsitsipas backhand both on serve and in the rallies.

So far, it’s stood up to the challenge for the Greek and he does well to change direction from defence into attack to open up an angle for him to crush a forehand winner down the line and threaten at 15-30.

Djokovic smacks down an ace in response but Tsitsipas has a big chance to tot up a break point, only to drag his hefty forehand into the tramlines.

He’s in charge of the next rally but jumps in the air as if trying to telepathically assist an attempted drop shot to make it over the net. Sadly for him, it doesn’t help and the poor execution means Nole holds again.

Novak Djokovic.

Image credit: Getty Images

DJOKOVIC 1-1 TSITSIPAS

Tsitsipas is eager to move forward at every opportunity and he swats away a super volley before outsmarting the Serb with a lovely cat and mouse tactic at the net.

Djokovic’s interest piques from 40-15 down when a forehand flies wide and he presses to deuce with an excellent return winner up the line.

Stef struggles to wriggle free in a lengthy exchange around deuce before a miscued return from Nole opens the door for him to land an ace and get on the board.

DJOKOVIC 1-0 TSITSIPAS

Tsitsipas offers an early example of what that ferocious forehand can do with an exquisite crosscourt return winner.

The Greek also shows the Jekyll and Hyde nature of his backhand, shanking a horrible miscue off court before wielding it like a wand to sweep a winner down the line.

Stef is on the back foot in the rally at 40-30 as Nole closes the net and he’s unlucky not to make deuce when a banana shot forehand on the run loops just long.

Here we go!

Djokovic will serve first in this Olympic quarter-final clash.

Lorenzo Musetti awaits the winner of this one in the last four

There was a shock on Court Suzanne-Lenglen as bowed out in straight sets to Italy's Lorenzo Musetti.

Musetti, fresh off a storming run to the Wimbledon semi-finals, triumphed 7-5 7-5 to earn a crack at Novak Djokovic or Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-finals.

'No way!' – Nadal stops to applaud stunning Djokovic return in showdown

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H2H

This is their 14th meeting with Djokovic absolutely owning the match-up 11-2.

The top seed has won the last 10 against the Greek after Stef had triumphed in two of the first three encounters.

Tsitsipas has won plenty of titles on clay - and it is widely regarded as his best surface - but he’s lost all five of their previous showdowns on the dirt, including two five-setters in both the 2020 semi final and 2021 final on this court at Roland-Garros.

GOOD EVENING

Hello and welcome to LIVE updates of the men’s tennis quarter-final clash between Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The players are due on Court Philippe-Chatrier from 18:00 BST.

Djokovic & Tsitsipas

Image credit: Getty Images

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