James in Kettering: To anonymous at 13:25. No-one is saying that tennis belongs to England. What they are saying is the other slams would not have a men's semi with empty seats.

Richard in Edinburgh, via text: Agree with anon comments about French Open. It one of the classics. If any deserve to go it's the US Open with it's lack of investment.

Anonymous via text: I am guessing the man who didn't find Parisians interested didn't go to the Hotel de Ville-it was overflowing with fans watching a year ago...of course London pubs & Trafalgar sq are heaving with tennis fans-not!

James Richardson:, external Djokovic maybe 2 sets up but that doesn't meant Gulbis hasn't played some cracking tennis

Nope, after mining a rich seam of shots, Ernests Gulbis hits manure to allow Novak Djokovic off the hook.

Djokovic has not been immune to the odd howler today though and he cracks needlessly into the tape to take us into a fifth deuce.

A bit of stumbling and fumbling, like a 3am reveller walking out their own front door, but Djokovic is home and dry in the end.

Image source, Getty Images

Ernests Gulbis buys his way into deuce, a very exclusive establishment with Novak Djokovic on the door, with a cheeky little angled drop-shot. It was a charmer, impossible to resist.

Once through the gates, Gulbis starts throwing his weight around. A big bolshy backhand helps him to break point. Like an oasis in the desert. He very nearly makes it reality though, almost getting lucky with a net twang.

He has another though...let's see how this goes.

Andrew Neill:, external Need either a Djokovic collapse or a heavy spell of rain to delay Murray's match till I get home. Both equally unlikely sadly.

Francis Shitawa:, external I hope Gulbis can hold Djokovic off until I get home! I can't afford to miss #Muzza take on #TheKingOfClay Nadal #RolandGarros #bbctennis

Luce Fenner:, external Can Gulbis not try and drag this out a little bit, I don't finish work till 4 & don't want to miss Andy!!

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Roland Garros

"Djokovic has lost just 18 points on serve so far, not bad early in set three, even if Gulbis is as flat as one of his forehands. Maybe a bonus awaits for coach Becker after his serving tips."

Image source, Dan Istitene

A double-fault and an ace in the first three points. Ernest Gulbis's service is like a bag of Revels*, some beauties in there, but some horrors as well. 30-15. Novak Djokovic looks set to level up as he advances, but he bunts a simple backhand into the tape with Gulbis desperately trying to spread his wings to cover all options at the net.

A lovely little bit of nip-tuck-duck-dive drop-shotting ends with Gulbis finding the winning angle to close out.

* - other chocolate-covered mystery cinema snacks are available. I can't think of any, but I'm sure somewhere...

Ernests Gulbis lands a big double-handed backhand swipe plumb on the line for 30-30, but has his wrist tendons twanged on the next point by a fierce Novak Djokovic serve.

The Latvian's return trails forlornly into the base of the net. After being over-powered, he is out-thought as Djokovic comes in sells him the wrong way with a disguised cross-court backhand.

One of the only areas that Ernests Gulbis might have the edge on Novak Djokovic is on serve. It is not as consistent as the Serb's, but it is a big, hairy brute of a shot.

It also the only one that Djokovic has no control over. Gulbis is going to play that shot after being handed the ball by a young French person rather than having to react to the spin and angles of his opponent.

It closes out the game from 40-30, flashing out wide beyond a stretching Djokovic, and while it is still firing he has a chance.

Image source, AFP

Novak Djokovic moves to 40-15 with a forehand that almost peeled the ball of its skin such was the ripped force.

An improvised flicked backhand from around his knees flies a touch wide on the next rally, though, and Gulbis makes his way to deuce for the first time in a long time.

Another error from Djokovic, a forehand flayed wide, gives Gulbis an unlikely and unexpected break point. It as if Djokovic's forehand is making amends to its owner in the next rally, though. He lands two tremendous whoppers just inside the line to leave Gulbis slumped.

That is the last Gulbis sees of the game as Djokovic ushers it past him like a vigilant bodyguard dealing with paparazzi.

Ernests Gulbis nurses his serve through the opening game of the third set, but he is being strafed by baseline fire from Novak Djokovic.

There have been a couple of pointed looks up at his box, searching for clues from coach Gunther Bresnik's poker face as to how to get some purchase on Djokovic's serve in the next game.

Image source, Getty Images

Cheers Stephan. Ever wondered who Roland Garros was? Probably not, but this is he.

He only played tennis as a hobby. He put food on the table and strings on the racquet as an aviator, setting records, flying in World War I and escaping prison of war camps.

Right, enough of the history and back to the present. Gulbis to serve after a quick towel-down.

Might we be seeing the Murray-Nadal semi soon? At the moment, you'd suspect so. Gulbis pops off court, possibly to see if there's a canon he can borrow in his bid to repel the Djokovic charge. He's serving in the third, which Mike Henson will talk you through.

Lizzie in Bristol, via text: Hoping Gulbis can hold Djokovic off until I get out of my maths exam this afternoon....

Anonymous via text: I cannot believe what I read about the French not "deserving" a slam and that we should "give" it to another country ... So it ( tennis) belongs to England I guess ! No to the world and the French slam is as important and spectacular as is the others including Wimbledon."

As if punishing Ernests Gulbis for having the temerity to keep him out of his seat longer than was necessary, Novak Djokovic wastes no further energy. A netted Latvian netted forehand puts Djokovic two sets up and tells Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray to start stretching.

Image source, Getty Images

Bouncy bouncy, high toss, hammer down the serve, don't expect it to come back. Serve for the set, you say? If I must. Novak Djokovic has two points to take a two-set lead. What's this? Some Gulbis fight? From 40-15, we're at deuce.

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Roland Garros

"There's the constant hum of chatter under Panama hats on a sultry Parisian afternoon, all rather lovely, but lacking the electricity we were hoping for. It's down to Ernests Gulbis to give everyone a jolt but, like pretty much the rest of the tennis world, he's finding Novak Djokovic too tough to hit through. Inevitably, the Latvian's own strength, the serve, then begins to creak as the Djokovic return stats steadily improve."

Live by the serve, die by the serve. A second from Gulbis is long, a double fault giving Djokovic break point. A loose forehand is in no-man's land, giving Djokovic the break and the chance to serve for the second set.

Djokovic, the predator with the jet-black hair, spots his prey as Gulbis nets twice for 0-30. Grunts from both men in a titanic tussle of forehands, only ended when Djokovic looks for an impossible angle. Out by a grain of clay, the umpire confirms by coming from his chair. A Gulbic ace levels us at 30-30.

Roland Garros on Twitter:, external .@DjokerNole leads #Gulbis 4-1 H2H. Djokovic won their only clay duel ('08 RG QF) & their last meeting (2011 Indian Wells R3). #RG14