Novak Djokovic is unfazed playing in front of a rowdy crowd and demonstrated his mental strength in another terrific straight-sets win over Diego Schwartzman.
Djokovic received a less-than-ideal reception from the fans upon his arrival on Court Suzanne Lenglen in his fourth-round match against the man from Argentina.
There was a mix of boos and cheers when he walked on the court, and tennis pundits Alex Corretja and Alize Lim slammed those who contributed to the hostile atmosphere for World No. 1.
But Djokovic let his racket do all the talking as he lay waste to Schwartzman in a 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinal, where he will most likely face his long-term rival and 13-time champion Rafael Nadal in a rematch of last year.
The Serbian star dominated once again, even with most of the crowd comprised of French, Spanish, and South American contingents who cheered for his opponent. He dropped only seven games and is yet to lose a set in the tournament in his run to the last eight.
At the start of the third set, Djokovic produced an exquisite drop shot winner and cupped his ear afterward, encouraging the crowd in France to respond.
While some people also booed at this moment, the vast majority of the crowd appreciated the brilliance of Djokovic's shot.
"That was amazing! They can't help themselves but applaud the excellence of this; look at that," the match commentator said in reference to the shot and the crowd, while the co-commentator called the moment "absolute perfection."
Booing seems to be an issue at the 2022 French Open, as also home player Alize Cornet got booed after retiring from her match. Currently, Djokovic is on a 22-set winning streak as he triumphed at the 2022 Italian Open without losing a set and is bidding to win his 21st Grand Slam, putting him level with Nadal.
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