Novak Djokovic’s epic fourth-round victory at the French Open overshadowed by knee pain. Novak Djokovic said that he had doubts about whether he would finish his marathon fourth-round contest against Francisco Cerúndolo at the French Open, such was the extent of the knee pain he was managing throughout the match. Djokovic prevailed 6-1 5-7 3-6 7-5 6-3 in a pulsating encounter against the Argentinian world No. 27 on Monday, his second consecutive five-set match after a brutal 3 a.m. finish against Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in the third round. The defending champion’s victory against Cerúndolo ended much earlier, but it did take longer to complete, wrapping up in four hours and 39 minutes. This was also his 370th victory at a grand slam, breaking Roger Federer’s record for the most wins at major tournaments. And while Djokovic showed phenomenal resolve and perseverance to come back and win when he trailed by a set and a break, he admitted to having concerns about pain in his right knee, which he said only subsided once his medication had kicked in. “At one point, I didn’t know, to be honest, whether I should continue or not with what’s happening,” the Serbian world No. 1 told reporters.
