Djokovic Marches Into Melbourne Quarter-Final With Alcaraz

After defeating Czech Jiri Lehecka, 10-time champion Novak Djokovic defeated 10-time champion Novak Djokovic to advance to the Australian Open quarter-final with Carlos Alcaraz.

The 37-year-old Serb, who is gunning for a record 25th Grand Slam title, beat the 24th seed 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) on Rod Laver Arena.

He was placed in the top 15 at Melbourne Park for the 15th time, a record he now holds ahead of Rafael Nadal and John Newcombe and holds with Roger Federer.

The win also extended his own all-time mark to 61 for most quarter-final appearances at majors, three ahead of the Swiss great.

Third seed Alcaraz, who is already a four-time Slam winner at age 21, has never advanced past the Australian Open quarter-finals, will face him on Tuesday in a showdown with him.

After the Spaniard retired in their final-16 game, losing 7-5, 6-1, the Spaniard set up the conflict.

“Being in a quarter-final, I’m going to approach the match the same as I did in the previous matches against him, and let’s see”, said Alcaraz of Djokovic.

“When we are seeing him playing, he seems like he’s young again, so… It’s unbelievable. He’s in a really good shape”.

But the Spaniard added: “I’m just ready and I know what I have to do in quarter-finals”.

Seven times have Djokovic and Alcaraz met, with Alcaraz leading 4-3, including winning their most recent encounter in the Paris Olympics final.

They have already met at three Grand Slams, including the Spaniard, who won both of them in the Wimbledon final.

But Djokovic has never played in Melbourne Park, where he has had the best success.

Lehecka won the lead-up Brisbane International event, where Djokovic lost in the quarter-finals, but he was never seriously in the reckoning on the big stage.

Djokovic put a quick dent in his serve in the eighth game of set one when the Czech committed a double fault.

Djokovic dominating from the baseline with a second break on Lehecka’s opening serve.

In a closer set three, the young Czech changed his approach, causing Djokovic to serve more and increase his serving intensity.

The Serb made some stunning shots in the tiebreak to win.

Alcaraz had a shot at winning against Draper when the Briton “pulled the pin” on a hot afternoon because “many areas were really in pain”.

The 15th seed Draper needed five sets to win his first three Melbourne matches, rallying from behind in all of them to stay in the tournament, and&nbsp, it finally caught up with him.

“It’s not the way I wanted to win. But obviously I’m happy to play another quarter-final here in Australia”, said Alcaraz.

“Physically, I’m feeling great. Therefore, as we approach the second week of a Grand Slam, physical well-being is a must because the matches are already more difficult.

Source: Channels TV