Things didn't look great for Novak Djokovic at the start of his quarterfinal match against Alexander Zverev. He was broken to start the match, and Zverev kept holding to take the first set 6-4. Maybe this would be the year that the German finally won his first Grand Slam.
Not so fast. While the Serb kept changing things up by moving Zverev in and out with impressive net play and well-placed shots from both wings, the German never changed how he stood while trying to return Djokovic's serve. This was the case even though he was continuously put in a defensive position.
His inability to adapt has often been his Achilles heel, and he will never win a major until he does. Instead, Djokovic kept metronomically hitting the ball back onto Zverev's side of the court, forcing the German to try to win extended rallies. This gave the advantage firmly on the Serb's side.
Novak Djokovic defeats Alexander Zverev to move into 2025 French Open semifinals
And make no mistake, while Djokovic might be a tad slower than he once was, he still covers the court extremely well and hits shots few others ever could. After the first set, the Serb dominated with brutal efficiency and won the match 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-4. He will next play top-seed Jannik Sinner in Friday's semifinals.
As part of the quarterfinals played earlier on Wednesday, Coco Gauff defeated Madison Keys in three sets. The loss was Keys' first Grand Slam loss in 2025, as she won the Australian Open in January. Keys took the first set in a tie-break, but Gauff's power and athleticism were enough to win the match.
She won the final two 6-4 6-1 as Keys appeared to run out of gas.
In the other women's quarters, Lois Boisson continues to have the tournament of her young life. The 22-year-old Frenchwoman had the crowd in Paris firmly behind her as she held strong in the first set against teenage Mirra Andreeva. Andreeva could not capitalize on her chances to take the set, and Boisson's newfound confidence seemed to only grow in set two.
She got a break early off Andreeva, and the outcome seemed destined. She took the match 7-6(6) 6-3, and she will next face Gauff in Thursday's semifinal.
In the other men's semifinal, Jannik Sinner continued to progress to a final that appears destined to be the Italian against Carlos Alcaraz. Alexander Bublik was a surprise to reach the quarters, but didn't give Sinner much difficulty. The ATO No. 1 won the match 6-1 7-5 6-0. Sinner will next play Zverev in one of Friday's men's semifinals.