French Open: Novak Djokovic’s sudden crash: “I don’t know what to do now”

The paths of Novak Djokovic and Marco Cecchinato have already crossed several times. But the pecking order was always quite clear. Novak Djokovic was the dazzling world star, the all-rounder in tennis. And the man who ordered a few sparring partners for training purposes in his adopted home in Monte Carlo.

Among them was Cecchinato, a 25-year-old Italian with an unorthodox style, a guy with refinement and flexibility on the court. “He’s actually something like a role model for me,” says Cecchinato, “Novak has had a dream career in tennis.”

But the fiery Sicilian has no false respect for big names, not even on Tuesday evening when he faced Djokovic face to face on Court Suzanne Lenglen. For three and a half hours Cecchinato fought with all his passion, with unyielding morality and brilliant improvisation art, then he had produced a story that resembled the rise from dishwasher to millionaire.

6:3, 7:6 (7:4), 1:6 and 7:6 (13:11) in the quarter-finals, the seventy-second in the world rankings beat the man who, just two years ago, held all four Grand Slam titles in his possession under the Eiffel Tower – and once again plunged the overpoweringly favored “Djoker” into a crisis of meaning.

“I am speechless,” said the 31-year-old Serb monosyllabically afterwards, “I don’t know what to say now.” And then, in the deep depression of the moment, the twelve-time Grand Slam Champion even questioned his participation in the upcoming grass court tournaments, including his participation in Wimbledon. “I honestly don’t know what to do now,” says Djokovic.

It was probably the most unlikely of all results at these Open French Championships in 2018 – the continued triumphal procession of the hardworking outsider Cecchinato. And the crash of Djokovic, who thought he was already on his way to the semi-finals before his former training assistant thwarted his plans. “He played as if it were a random match,” Djokovic later said in astonishment, “he didn’t show any nerves.”

Quite different from himself, the fragile-looking tennis-titanium of yesteryear. Although he returned to directing the match after a bad start, shortened the lead to 1:2 and also led 4:1 in the fourth round, he then, again nervously and nervously, let Cecchinato back into the match – it was an indication that he still did not have the authority and aura that distinguished him at the height of his dominance.

His old companions, coach Marjan Vajda and fitness pope Gebhard Gritsch, who had returned to the team, were also enthusiastic about how Djokovic lost control and finally lost the game in a sensational high-class tiebreak in set 4 (11:13).

The setback, no doubt, came at the worst possible moment in Djokovic’s comeback mission – namely in the seasonal phase, in which the most ranking points, the most important titles are awarded. And where self-confidence is built up for the rest of the year. Or now fresh frustration, as with Djokovic.

In normal form, he, once such an ardent movement artist and permanent winner, would have ended Cecchinato’s tennis fairy tale cool. But so went the amazing advance of the Italian, who hadn’t won a single Grand Slam match before the French Open 2018 and had mostly worked on Challenger competitions away from the big headlines.

He had only produced headlines once before, for the completely wrong reasons. Two years ago, he was sentenced to an 18-month suspension by the Italian tennis federation for grouching, he is said to have told a friend not to bet money on himself, on Cecchinato, because he does not feel good about his health.

Later, the ban was reduced to twelve months, then lifted completely. Allegedly on procedural grounds. In Paris, Cecchinato does not want to talk about the affair, his concentration is entirely “this moment in my life”.

Of course, all this is not a glamour sheet for the tennis scene, which is currently fighting hard to control the scams, especially at smaller tournaments. In this Paris Grand Slam week it became known at the same time that criminals are said to have blackmailed Belgian players for game manipulation.

Cecchinato won’t have anything to do with the second or third league of world tennis, after this tournament he will move up to the top 30 and will also be seeded in Wimbledon. His march through the red sand reminds a little of Gustavo Kuerten in 1997, he also came almost out of nowhere before he ascended the throne of Roland Garros.

But after beating top ten cracks like Pablo Carreno-Busta and David Goffin and bringing Novak Djokovic to his knees, Dominic Thiem (in the semi-final) and most likely Rafael Nadal are still standing between him and the title. Unthinkable? “I’ll just keep dreaming,” says Cecchinato himself.