By ADAM ZAGORIA
Coming into the French Open, Marco Cecchinato had never won a single Grand Slam match.
Now he’s into the semifinals at Roland Garros.
The 72nd-ranked Italian capitalized on his fourth match point to beat 2016 champion and No. 20 seed Novak Djokovic, 6-3, 7-6(4), 1-6, 7-6(11).
After hitting a backhand winner up the line past Djokovic at the net, Cecchinato lay on his back on the court as the fans cheered. Soon enough Djokovic crossed to his side of the net and embraced him.
“Am I dreaming? Maybe I’m sleeping? I don’t understand nothing,” he said on court.
“It’s amazing, is unbelievable for me to beat Novak Djokovic in quarterfinal of Roland Garros.”
Cecchinato will try to keep his run going in the semifinals against No. 7 Dominic Thiem, who overwhelmed No. 2 Alexander Zverev, 6-4, 6-2, 6-1.
Giant Killer!
Marco Cecchinato takes out former champion Djokovic in a blockbuster match 6-3 7-6(4) 1-6 7-6(11).#RG18 pic.twitter.com/lNCX6BPves
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2018
Cecchinato becomes the first Italian man in 40 years to reach a Grand Slam semifinal (Corrado Barazzutti) and the lowest-ranked Grand Slam semifinalist since 2008 Wimbledon.
“Am I dreaming? Maybe I’m sleeping? I don’t understand nothing.”
– Cecchinato#RG18 pic.twitter.com/OMypEwXLAI
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2018
After dropping the first two sets, Djokovic won the third set against Cecchinato and then looked like he might force a decisive fifth.
But Cecchinato came back from two breaks down in the fourth (1-4) to force the tiebreak.
In the tiebreak, Djokovic saved three match points, including one on a 17-stroke rally.
Djokovic saves a match point on a 17-shot rally pic.twitter.com/MifEaWSoUz
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) June 5, 2018
Cecchinato then prevailed on his fourth match point.
“In the tiebreak I was maybe two or three match points before the last one and in the fifth I don’t know,” he said. “I was so tired. But I won the match and it’s amazing.”
Cecchinato will now have two full days off before the semifinals on Friday.
Going forward, Djokovic told reporters he may not play at Wimbledon. He has now played eight majors since he last won one at the 2016 French Open.
“I don’t know if I’m going to play on the grass,” he told reporters.
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