Djokovic - I was a bit lucky

Epic encounter: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (left) and Novak Djokovic

World number one Novak Djokovic struggled to explain how he managed to pull his French Open quarter-final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga out of the fire.

The Serb saved four match points in the fourth set before taking it in a tie-break and going on to dominate the decider for a 6-1 5-7 5-7 7-6 (8/6) 6-1 victory that sets up a last-four clash with Roger Federer.

Djokovic, who will hold all four grand slam titles if he takes the title at Roland Garros, has made such recoveries his speciality, beating Federer from match points down at the US Open in 2010 and 2011 and coming through epic five-setters against Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal to win the Australian Open in January.

"There is really not any rational explanation or a word that can describe what you're supposed to do when you're match points down or when you're very close to losing the match," said Djokovic.

"If he had won, he would deserve the win, no doubt. But that's sport. The one that mentally pushes more in some moments and obviously gets also a bit lucky, gets the win."
Novak Djokovic Quotes of the week

"I guess it's trying to be mentally tough and believing in your shots. I did have some matches similar to this one when I was match points down and managed to come back.

"If he had won, he would deserve the win, no doubt. But that's sport. The one that mentally pushes more in some moments and obviously gets also a bit lucky, gets the win."

After winning the first set easily, Djokovic let slip his advantage. Tsonga began to play brilliantly and he brought up two match points at 5-4 in the fourth set and two more at 6-5 but Djokovic never wavered.

Chance

The Frenchman only really had a chance on the final one, when he netted a forehand, and once he lost a close tie-break the match was only ever heading in one direction.

Djokovic added: "This is what you practise for all these years, to be part of an incredible match here at Roland Garros against a home player. I'm really glad that I could win today."

Tsonga was left with mixed feelings after coming so close in his first French Open quarter-final.

"I'm not going to regret many things in that match. I gave everything I had. I fought as much as I could," he said. "Unfortunately at the end I had no energy left in my legs.

"I'll try and remember this match and this loss so I have more confidence in tournaments like Wimbledon. Because if I can hurt the top players on clay, I can do worse on grass.

"This is probably the most difficult defeat in my career. I haven't lost that many matches after such a big fight."

The fifth seed sat with his head in his towel after the match before steeling himself for an on-court interview, and he added: "You get all kinds of feelings going through your mind.

"You want to break your racquet. You want to shout. You want to cry. You want to laugh and say, 'oh, come on, that's a joke. How could I lose this match?' You want to wake up."