WORLD No. 1 Novak Djokovic survived a huge scare as he advanced into the French Open quarterfinals with a 6-7(7) 6-7(2) 6-1 6-0 4-0 victory against Italian teenager Lorenzo Musetti who retired with cramps and lower back pains.
The Serbian looked out of sorts as Musetti, 19, found impossible angles and delighted the crowd with spectacular shots, before taking full control in the third set with his opponent appearing to run on an empty engine.
He will take on another Italian, Matteo Berrettini, who received a walkover into the last eight after Roger Federer pulled out.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal overcame a wobbly start to down another Italian teenager, Jannik Sinner, 7-5 6-3 6-0, to set up a meeting with Argentine Diego Schwartzman, his semifinal victim last year.
Women’s champion Iga Swiatek had to battle hard before she subdued 18-year-old Marta Kostyuk 6-3 6-4 in Monday’s night session in an empty stadium.
American Coco Gauff will meet Sloane Stephens’ conqueror Barbora Krejcikova in the last eight.
