Novak Djokovic took revenge on Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti with a straight-set win to maneuver into the quarter-finals on the Monte Carlo Masters.
Djokovic, crushed by Musetti on the last-16 stage in Monte Carlo final 12 months, got here again from a break of serve down within the first set to win 7-5 6-3.
The Serb, 36, is simply the second participant to achieve 10 Monte Carlo quarter-finals within the Open period.
The world primary will play Australia’s Alex de Minaur subsequent.
After profitable 5 of the final six video games to show across the opening set, Djokovic twice misplaced serve after going a break up within the second.
However the two-time winner, competing in his first occasion since splitting with former coach Goran Ivanisevic, responded to these setbacks and was capable of serve out the match to like.
He’ll hope to achieve his first semi-final on the match since his final title victory 9 years in the past in opposition to De Minaur, who beat compatriot Alexei Popyrin 6-3 6-4.
“I do not assume I’m nonetheless at my high stage but it surely was an important check right now in opposition to an important participant, a really proficient participant,” Djokovic mentioned.
Italy’s second seed Jannik Sinner beat German Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4 6-2 to arrange a quarter-final in opposition to Danish seventh seed Holger Rune or Belarusian ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov.
However fourth seed Daniil Medvedev is out following a 6-3 7-5 loss to fellow Russian Karen Khachanov.
Khachanov will meet Stefanos Tsitsipas within the final eight after the Greek twelfth seed overcame Germany’s Alexander Zverev 7-5 7-6 (7-3).