Novak Djokovic might start to believe that this tournament is the one he has been waiting for, as his pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam title continues.
Since winning his last major at the 2023 US Open, he has been unable to get past two players: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Technically, he can still compete with them. Physically, however, he is well behind. Not many players remain in peak condition in their late thirties, and that gap becomes even more obvious over five sets. Various injuries have also played a role in stopping his progress.
The jump to five-set matches at Grand Slams has proven difficult for him lately, with injuries often getting in the way of his chances.
This year’s Australian Open might be different though. He’s had some fortunate breaks in the draw already and could find himself playing Tommy Paul or Andrey Rublev rather than Daniil Medvedev if things go his way.
Novak Djokovic given major advantage at Australian Open
He mentioned the walkover Djokovic received into the quarter-finals after Jakub Mensik withdrew with an injury, a detail that could have a significant impact on how fresh the Serbian feels heading into his next match.
This development gave Djokovic a smooth path through the fourth round, where he is now set to face Lorenzo Musetti. Isner spoke about what this break could mean for Djokovic:
“It’s a big positive. He does not need to play himself into form at this stage. The less time on court the better for Novak. This is huge for him. It’s tough luck for his next opponent, Musetti. But he could not be coming into the quarterfinals any fresher. It’s not possible whatsoever.
“A straight sets victory three times and a walkover. He is feeling really, really good.
“He is going to have his hands full against Musetti, but this is a big deal. It keeps him very, very fresh.”
Djokovic hoping for Grand Slam glory
Novak Djokovic knows what’s at stake here in Melbourne. He’s already lifted the trophy ten times, and this could be his best chance yet to finally break through for number 25.
No other tournament has brought him more success, and given his recent path, it’s hard to argue against his chances this time around.
He didn’t drop a set through the first three rounds and then picked up a walkover into the quarter-finals. That’s as smooth a run as he could have hoped for.
Now he faces Musetti, an opponent he has beaten nine times in ten meetings. It’s another opportunity for Djokovic to manage his energy before what could be two huge matches ahead.
If everything falls into place, we might finally see him face Sinner and Alcaraz back-to-back – and perhaps this time, with fresh legs, we’ll get to see how much ground he can really make up on them.
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