Djokovic takes new path on route to Melbourne quarter-finals | ATP Tour

Australian Open

Djokovic is on a new path en route to the quarter-finals in Melbourne

The Serbian faces Mannarino as he bids for his 14th qualification into the last eight of the Australian Open.

January 20, 2024

Novak Djokovic seeks his 32nd straight Australian Open victory.
Author: ATPTour.com/es staff

Novak Djokovic knows it’s time to step up the pace at the Australian Open. The ten-time champion has 31 straight wins in Melbourne and, apart from some ups and downs and a level he still doesn’t feel entirely satisfied with, he is on a new march in the final sprint towards the final rounds of this Sunday’s tournament. first round of 16 matches.

The number 1 Pepperstone ATP ranking will face 20th seed Adrian Mannarino in the fourth round and will play a fourth round match at Melbourne Park this Sunday for the 16th time in his career with a credible 13-2 record, losing only to Hyun Chung in 2018 year and Roger Federer in 2007.

While Djokovic leads the Lexus ATP Head2Head Series 4-0 against the Frenchman and will be the clear favorite going into the match, things could get interesting if Mannarino takes the match to a fourth straight five-setter at this year’s Australian Open.

The five-time ATP Tour champion has won 11 straight matches in five sets, most recently losing one at the 2015 US Open to Andy Murray. At 35, Mannarino is playing the best tennis of his life and is ranked 17th in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, and is a patient player who can break the patience of any opponent with his counterattacks.

“I didn’t have the best tournament in terms of tennis quality, but I’m in the fourth round… I think things will improve as the tournament goes on and I hope that every day and every match will be better,” said Djokovic, who first played singles at the Australian Open in 2005, is 92-8 in main draw matches at the year’s first major. Of course, this amount is enough to be calm.

Meanwhile, physically the Serbian is somewhat calmer after worrying about the viral process, of which he could already say that “it is in the last stage.” The new victory would give Djokovic his 32nd straight Australian Open victory, just one shy of Monica’s all-time record. Seles has 33 consecutive victories in the tournament at Melbourne Park.

Meanwhile, local hope Alex de Minaur takes on Andrey Rublev in a star-studded match of the evening at Rod Laver Arena. De Minaur, Australia’s No. 1, will face the fifth seed as he seeks a place in his first Australian Open quarter-final.

Rublev reached the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park last year and will have to be at his best in 2021 to stop the crowd-promoted De Minaur, who leads the Lexus ATP Head2Head 3-2.

In addition, Jannik Sinner, in good form, will meet last year’s Melbourne semi-finalist Karen Khachanov at the MCA tournament. The Italian is seeking to reach the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the sixth time. For their part, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Taylor Fritz will meet for the fifth time (3-1 in favor of the Greek) at John Cain Arena in a rematch of their thrilling five-set match in Melbourne 2022.