Melbourne: Serbian tennis icon Novak Djokovic stormed into the quarterfinals of the ongoing Australian Open, setting up a clash with rival Carlos Alcaraz following a win over Jiri Lehecka in his fourth-round match on Sunday.
Djokovic stormed past the 24th seed by 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) within two hours and 39 minutes. He has now equalled legendary Roger Federer's record of reaching most QFs in Australian Open history, with 15 each.
After a couple of tough early tests, Djokovic sharpened his tools in the hunt for a record 25th Grand Slam crown and 11th at Melbourne Park with a mauling of Czech Tomas Machac in the last round and was again at his impressive best against Lehecka.
Lehecka’s first-set effort was undermined by a poor service game at 4-3. Djokovic made no mistake in serving out to take the set and he was quickly on the way to doubling his lead as he broke Lehecka’s serve again in the opening game of the second set.
A familiar pattern was emerging as another sloppy Lehecka service game helped Djokovic break again in the opening game of the third set. However, this time the Czech player could hit back immediately for 1-1 with his first break of serve in the match. The 23-year-old Lehecka did produce some powerful games but Djokovic ended any hopes of a comeback by winning a tie-break for the first time in three attempts in 2025.
The result booked Djokovic’s first Grand Slam meeting on a hard court with his great rival Alcaraz, who earlier led Jack Draper 7-5, 6-1 when the Briton retired from their fourth-round clash. Djokovic leads Alcaraz 4-3 in the ATP head-to-head series, although Alcaraz has won two of their three previous outings at majors.
Djokovic dominated from the baseline, putting on a fine display of tennis. He produced just 21 unforced errors as compared to Jiri's 44.
"I felt great. A couple of hiccups here and there, a loose game after I broke his serve in the third. After that I, had chances to break him, but every time I had an opportunity to break him, he would serve big. Just very powerful and precise," said Djokovic.
Alcaraz, on the other hand, is bidding to become the youngest player to complete the career Grand Slam in men’s singles history. In a tournament that has been dominated by youth, the 21-year-old Alcaraz can become the youngest champion at the hard-court major since Novak Djokovic (20) in 2008.
The World No. 2, seeking his maiden Grand Slam title, will next meet former Australian Open semifinalist Tommy Paul, who dropped just three games in a runaway 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 win over Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Alexander Zverev booked an Australian Open quarter-final against Tommy Paul Sunday after surviving a mid-match wobble to oust France’s Ugo Humbert as he zeroes in on a maiden Grand Slam title.
The second seed was in imperious form to start and finish on John Cain Arena, racing past the 14th seed 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 after briefly letting his guard down.
Zverev and Paul have played twice before, but not since Indian Wells in 2022, with the American winning both times. Agencies
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