Rune was able to save it, however, and held for 5-5 as the fans were on their feet, cheering on the reigning champion. The dramatic second set went to a tiebreak where the 20-year-old quickly took a double-break lead and he took it 7-6(3) after more than an hour.
The crowd still wasn’t done with Djokovic, booing him as he left the court for a bathroom break. It’s not the first time this week that the six-time champion has had trouble with the fans. After getting broken back to go 4-4 in the third set of his match against Tallon Griekspoor on Thursday night, the fans booed him but Djokovic sarcastically told them to carry on and he won the next eight points in a row to emerge victorious.
“I think I didn’t do anything to provoke the public, absolutely anything,” the world No 1 said afterwards. Asked whether the Parisian crowd was special, he added: “That’s a good word, very special, yeah. Very, very special. It’s very special.”
