Djokovic defeats Murray to reach French Open final

PanARMENIAN.Net - Novak Djokovic moved to within one match of the career Grand Slam on Saturday, June 6, as he edged a five-set thriller with Andy Murray to reach the French Open final following an overnight delay, EuroSport reports.

The world number one took his winning streak to 27 matches and picked up an eighth straight success against his old rival by triumphing 6-3 6-3 5-7 5-7 6-1 after play had resumed with the score at 3-3 in the fourth set.

It was battling but disappointing end to Murray's hopes of becoming the first British player to reach the Roland Garros final in the open era and edges Djokovic closer to lifting the one major that has so far eluded him. The Serbian will now meet Stan Wawrinka in Sunday's final.

Both players came into the contest boasting a 15-match winning streak on clay and in the early exchanges on Friday afternoon there was little between them as the pair produced some scintillating tennis.

The standard had to dip and it was Murray who blinked first when he was broken to love in the eighth game, allowing Djokovic to serve out the opener with aplomb, EuroSport says.

The British number one had not beaten Djokovic since the 2013 Wimbledon final and the continuation of that losing run looked inevitable as the Serbian broke twice in the second set, without ever looking in danger on serve.

Murray had fallen away badly in recent encounters against the world number one but showed some resilience in the third to stay on serve. Djokovic remained unflustered until the 11th game of the set when a stunning winner on the swivel while retrieving a lob inspired an unlikely turnaround for the number three seed.

Murray secured his first break of the match and served out to love to take the maiden set of the tournament off the world number one.

Djokovic disappeared off court on a lengthy medical time-out ahead of the fourth and when they reconvened the pair exchanged early breaks before play was halted at 3-3 due to rain.

The players returned at 12pm BST on the Saturday and a quartet of solid holds ensued before Murray struck the first blow to break and serve out the fourth.

The Scot had started more steady and razor sharp while Djokovic looked shaky. The momentum was with the third seed but the man nicknamed Djoker has an innate ability to strike at key moments in a match - and he did it again in the fifth set when he broke in the second game.

Murray battled bravely, EuroSport says, but the world number one broke again in the sixth game before serving it out to secure victory in four hours and nine minutes and move within touching distance of becoming only the eighth man in history to win all four majors.