Djokovic Inches Closer to Elusive Roland Garros Title

Pursuing the one Grand Slam that has eluded him, world number one Novak Djokovic moved into the semifinals of the 2016 French Open Thursday with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 win over the seventh-seeded Tomas Berdych. An 11-time Grand Slam champion, Djokovic, who will be playing for the third consecutive day Friday due to rainy conditions in Paris, will face the 22-year-old Austrian Dominic Thiem in the semis. Thiem was a 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-4, 6-1 winner Thursday over David Goffin in a rain-soaked matchup.

With the win, Thiem will crack the top 10 of next week’s ATP Men’s Singles Rankings, moving up to seventh in the world. Thiem also becomes the third Austrian male in history to reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam, joining his fellow countrymen Thomas Muster and Jurgen Melzer.

“It's going to be unbelievably tough,” said Thiem of facing Djokovic. “I think he's a little bit on a different level than all the other players, but still I'm in good shape and the match starts at 0-0. I'm going to do it like the whole tournament: I will just go out, give my best and focus 100 percent. Then I will see the outcome.”

Djokovic and Thiem have met twice before, with Djokovic taking both matches.

"He's one of the leaders of the new generation,” Djokovic said of Thiem. “I'm sure he's very motivated to show himself and others that he deserves to be at the top and compete for the biggest titles. I'm sure he's going to give it all in the semis, but I have something to fight for, as well."

The other men’s semifinals matchup is set as well, as second seeded Andy Murray will meet defending French Open Champion Stan Wawrinka. Murray advanced after a 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-0, 6-2 win over Frenchman Richard Gasquet, while Wawrinka held off a late charge by Spain's Albert Ramos Vinolas to move into the semis with a 6-2, 6-1, 7-6(7) victory on Wednesday.

"Stan is obviously playing great tennis," Murray said of Wawrinka. "It is going to be extremely difficult (but) hopefully I can play my best tennis and reach my first final here."

Murray holds a slight 8-7 advantage in 15 career meetings to date. Two of those 15 meetings have taken place on clay, with Wawrinka emerging the winner in both clay court meetings.

"We've normally had some good battles in the past,” said Wawrinka. “But if you were to compare our two careers he's well ahead of me … He's in the Big Four and there is a reason for this."