cnn
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On a sun-drenched but windy Parisian afternoon, Novak Djokovic broke one of Rafael Nadal's French Open records as he advanced to the Roland Garros quarterfinals.
An easy 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas on Sunday ensured Djokovic advanced to the quarter-finals at the French Open for a record 17th time, beating the absent Rafael Nadal with 16.
The victory also brought the Serb closer to the men's record of 23 career Grand Slams. Djokovic is currently on the same level as Nadal, who announced on Saturday that he would be out of action for at least five months after undergoing hip surgery, at 22 Grand Slams.
Varillas is ranked 94th in the world but at Roland Garros he became the first Peruvian in 29 years to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam.
However, he was no match for world number 3, Djokovic, who will next play against Russian Karen Khachanov, the eleventh seed.
It has been a controversial week for the Serb, who made headlines after sending a political message about Kosovo at the start of the tournament, something he later said he stood by.
After his first round victory on Monday, Djokovic wrote: “Kosovo is the [heart symbol] from Serbia. Stop the violence” in the lens of a television camera in response to the violent clashes in Kosovo. Tensions have risen in the past week in Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008.
“Of course, I'm aware that many people would disagree, but it is what it is,” Djokovic said Wednesday after his second-round victory against Hungarian Márton Fucsovics. “It's something I defend. So that's all.”
“A Grand Slam without drama, I don't think it can happen to me,” he added on Wednesday. “You know, I guess that motivates me too.”
