Everything that happened at Day 11 of 2025 French Open including quarterfinal wins for Gauff, Djokovic, Sinner

The pitiful drop shot Zverev sent halfway up the net on his slow slide out of the third set was emblematic of what's making the difference in this match.

Zverev can hang with Djokovic — and even dictate on occasion — in the baseline exchanges, but there is a gulf in class at the net and Djokovic is dragging Zverev there time and again.

It's a pattern that has defined Zverev's recent clay-court nearly moments: missed volleys were key in the late stages of his French Open final loss to Carlos Alcaraz last year.

Zverev 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, *0-1 Djokovic

This is critical now for Zverev who is crumbling. Djokovic takes his sixth game in a row and breaks Zverev for the third time in a trow to establish a lead in the fourth set.

We will be edging towards a conclusion faster than we thought unless the German can stem the flow of points towards Djokovic.

Meanwhile, the crowd has got a bit rowdy inside Chatrier and have been asked to quieten down a few times now.

Zverev 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, *0-0 Djokovic

This is what Djokovic is so good at.

Ice cold, he read the shift in emotion from Zverev after he grew visibly frustrated from losing break point — and then he went through the gears to snuff out any hope of the German fighting back.

Zverev was a bystander in the final game. This match is not over but he needs to regroup fast if he is to stop Djokovic from winning the match in this next set.

That third set was the quickest of the match in 33 minutes. Brutal efficiency from Djokovic.

Zverev 6-4, 3-6, 2-5* Djokovic

This third set has slipped away from Zverev.

Djokovic will serve for the set when he steps up from his chair — he headed off there with some determination as the chair umpire took a look at a call in the final point of the last game.

She upheld the call of out for a Zverev return after some net play at pretty close quarters. Zverev will need to take this to five if he is to advance.

Zverev 6-4, 3-6, 2-3* Djokovic

That was a game and a half!

We're being treated to some excellent rallies between the two players and some frustration is starting to creep in for Zverev. He has been giving his team a bit of an ear bending since making an error on his forehand during the break point.

Djokovic takes the game to break and get the advantage in the set — offering up only a steely glare down the barrel of the camera. He means business.

Zverev 6-4, 3-6, 2-1* Djokovic

It's been a fairly swift start to this third set with both players holding their service games and looking like they are in the rhythm.

The longer this game runs on the question we will get an answer to is whether Zverev's physical capacity will outdo Djokovic's technique should this run to five sets.

Some thoughts on time.

Djokovic and Zverev are two sets in and at 1:40, that is just nine minutes less than Sinner's entire match earlier today. Sinner's last match before that was two hours and there's a decent chance this match will end up longer than those two matches combined.

It's really good to be Jannik Sinner right now.

We've played 100 minutes and we're back to where we started — all square between Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic, as the 24-time major champion levels things up by winning the second set 6-3.

Djokovic is the one playing with the greater variety, and appropriately enough he finishes the seat with a gorgeous feathered drop shot. This match may come down to whether Djokovic's superior craft wins out against Zverev's better fitness.

We all anticipated a long one tonight, and that's where we're headed at the moment.

Zverev 6-4, *2-5 Djokovic

He's put himself in a strong position and now Djokovic needs to break Zverev to take the second set.

That was a relatively straight forward service game from him to tee up a shot (or two if he ends up needing a further game) at levelling the match.

Zverev 6-4, 2-4* Djokovic

That was close for Zverev as Djokovic looked close to breaking him.

That would pretty much have been curtains for this set for Zverev but he fought back to keep it alive despite Djokovic landing a shot off his shoe laces and over the net, drawing a big cheer from the crowd inside Chatrier. He fired them up to ask for more noise as he finally let out a smile to seem like he is enjoying himself.

Zverev, meanwhile, swallowed a fly and then sent his racket off to be restrung — so a few teething problems for him at the end of that game. The racket tinkering continues as both players look for the edge.

Zverev 6-4, 1-4* Djokovic

It was not easy for him in a game running well over the nine minute mark but this second set is starting to feel like it could belong to Novak Djokovic.

Zverev did well to crank up the pressure and he nearly broke the Serb but as he got up to break point he was distracted by something flying overhead before Djokovic served.

It was an unfortunate time to be forced to pause and Djokovic was able to push on to win the game.

Zverev 6-4, 1-3* Djokovic

Now he's in business.

Djokovic breaks Zverev but does not really have chance to celebrate as the call needs a second look from the umpire as Zverev's shot ran long.

The German made a few unforced errors in that game to give Djokovic an advantage for the rest of this second set.

Zverev 6-4, 1-1* Djokovic

Well, Zverev has not slowed down as we enter the second set.

Both players hold their service games but Zverev's serve is proving to be a key weapon in his armory tonight.

He made all five first serves in his game.

Zverev 6-4, 0-0* Djokovic

Three set points to the good and Zverev gets the job done with an ace.

He has not blinked under the pressure of playing this match against one of the greats of the sport — he looks in control but do not expect Djokovic to go down easily here.

The court looks pretty slow and heavy and Djokovic is having joy with drop shots so expect more of that in this second set.