Cecchinato stuns Djokovic in quarterfinals at French Open

Marco Cecchinato stunned Novak Djokovic 6-3, 7-6(4), 1-6, 7-6(11) to advance to the semifinals of the French Open.

Cecchinato struck early and often for what is the highest-profile victory of his career, putting Djokovic on his heels with a 74.5 first-serve percentage. Over the past year, Cecchinato's first-serve percentage on clay of 70.6 leads the tour. His first serve averaged 169 kph - just a tick slower than Djokovic's 172. It all led to a respectable 73-of-117 (62.4 percent) first-serve points won.

After fending off set point three times in the decisive fourth-set tiebreaker, Cecchinato finally booked his ticket to the semis with a backhand winner past the Serbian.

Cecchinato's path to the title doesn't get any easier. Next, he'll take on world No. 8 Dominic Thiem, fresh off a surgical 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 dismantling of No. 3 Alexander Zverev in the quarters. Thiem has captured two titles on clay this year, winning at Lyon and Buenos Aires, while finishing runner-up to Zverev in the finals of the Madrid Open last month. Cecchinato and Thiem have never met on any surface.

Cecchinato isn't a household name like Djokovic, Thiem, or Zverev are, but he has found some success on clay of late, capturing his first career title at the Hungarian Open in April.

At just No. 72 on the ATP World Tour rankings, Cecchinato becomes the lowest-ranked semifinalist at the French Open since 1999, and the first Italian national to advance to the semis at a Grand Slam since 1978. The 25-year-old's ranking stands to improve as his run at Roland Garros continues.