Djokovic survives five-set epic

PARIS — Novak Djokovic avoided crashing to his worst defeat at the French Open in 15 years in the early hours of Sunday morning when he clinched a five-set victory over Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti.

Defending champion and 24-time Grand Slam title winner Djokovic came from two sets to one down to triumph 7-5, 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 in a third round tie which ended at 3:07 a.m. (0107 GMT).

His four-hour 29-minute victory also allowed the 37-year-old world No. 1 to equal Roger Federer’s record of 369 Grand Slam match wins.

His reward is a clash with Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina for a place in the quarterfinals.

“I need to say congratulations to Lorenzo Musetti it’s a shame someone had to lose,” Djokovic said in his on-court TV interview. “I want to say to him he played an incredible match.”