With a heavy heart, top-seeded Novak Djokovic takes on 12th seeded Thomas Haas today at the French Open in Roland Garros with a berth in the finals on the line. The match can be live streamed here.

Djokovic enters the match as determined as ever, inspired to claim victory in honor of his first tennis coach Jelena Gencic, who suddenly died at 76 earlier this week.

"It hasn't been easy, but this is life," he told ESPN. "Life gives you things, takes away close people in your life, and Jelena was my first coach. We were very close throughout my whole life, and she taught me a lot of things that are part of me, part of my character today, and I have nicest memories of her.”

As difficult as battling the streaking Haas might prove, it doesn’t figure to compare to the job Djokovic faces in putting his nerves aside as he reflects on the woman he describes “as a second mother.”

Djokovic struggled mightily in the early stages of Monday’s third-round match before calming himself and putting away Phillip Kohlschrever of Germany 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. Six of the match's first seven unforced errors came at his hands and were his following one dreadful exchange he slung his racket hard enough to hard break it. The set he lost was his first in four matches.

At age 35, Tommy Haas' run into the French Open quarterfinals has been the feel-good story at Roland Garros -- just don't tell that to Mikhail Youzny, Greg Garber writes. After recovering quickly to dispatch 16th-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 and reach the quarterfinals at a 16th consecutive major tournament, Djokovic spoke from the heart about the passing of Jelena Gencic, who was 76.

Djokovic After recovering quickly to dispatch 16th-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 and reach the quarterfinals at a 16th consecutive major tournament, Djokovic spoke from the heart about the passing of Jelena Gencic, who was 76.

"I feel even more responsible now to go all the way in this tournament," said the No. 1-ranked Djokovic, who owns six Grand Slam titles but none from Roland Garros. "I want

The 35-year-oldHaas is 35 the oldest French Open quarterfinalist since 1971.

https://espn.go.com/tennis/french13/story/_/id/9336611/2013-french-open-novak-djokovic-rafael-nadal-gain-quarterfinals