Novak Djokovic credited the crowd for his comeback win at the 2024 Roland Garros, as he found it amazing that people stayed behind to watch him play tennis at 3 a.m.
The match between the 37-year-old Serbian and Lorenzo Musetti was a spectacular one deserving of a packed stadium, but it wasn't packed. The reason was that it wasn't packed at the time.
The match began about an hour before midnight, which was fairly late, and most people went home. Even so, plenty stayed behind to witness an epic battle between the players that lasted over four hours.
Djokovic turned around a 1-2 deficit in sets to a 3-2 win. It was an amazing comeback from the Serbian because, at times, he really looked like he was ready to quit. He didn't, and he credited the crowd with pushing him forward to win the match.
The Serbian was amazed to see people remain at 3 a.m. in fairly cold weather to watch him play, and he addressed them in French after the match.
"The difference was the crowd. that’s why I’m speaking in French. It’s incredible you stayed. There are even lots of children who should be sleeping. It’s gonna be hard to get to bed. My adrenaline is really going. But now, let’s go to bed!"
It was a seriously spectacular undertaking by the Serbian because he faced a much younger opponent in very difficult conditions and looked quite defeated when Musetti won the third set.
Then came a dramatic comeback, and it was fascinating to see. The old Djokovic returned out of nowhere, and it may be this win that fuels him to continue his charge to becoming the first-ever tennis player to win 25 major titles, even though it certainly also took away from his energy tank.
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