Home SPORTS Djokovic Powers Past Lehecka to Reach Australian Open Quarter-Finals

Djokovic Powers Past Lehecka to Reach Australian Open Quarter-Finals

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Novak Djokovic advanced to the Australian Open quarter-finals with a straight-sets win over Jiri Lehecka, setting up a blockbuster clash with Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday.



Novak Djokovic, the 10-time Australian Open champion, has set up a highly anticipated quarter-final clash with Carlos Alcaraz after defeating Jiri Lehecka in straight sets. The 37-year-old Serb, who is pursuing a record 25th Grand Slam title, secured a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) victory over the 24th seed on Rod Laver Arena.


Djokovic's win marked his 15th appearance in the Australian Open quarter-finals, a record he now shares with Roger Federer. This achievement also extended his own all-time mark for most quarter-final appearances at majors to 61, three ahead of Federer. Lehecka, who won the Brisbane International event leading up to the Australian Open, was unable to replicate his success on the big stage.


Djokovic quickly gained the upper hand, breaking Lehecka's serve in the eighth game of the first set after the Czech committed a double fault. The Serb carried this momentum into the second set, achieving another break on Lehecka's opening serve and dominating from the baseline. Lehecka adjusted his tactics in the third set, pushing Djokovic to the net more frequently and increasing his serving intensity, which led to a closer contest.


The third set ultimately went to a tiebreak, where Djokovic showcased his exceptional skill with some stunning shots to seal the win. With this victory, Djokovic sets his sights on the quarter-final showdown with Alcaraz, promising an exciting clash between two tennis giants.


Novak Djokovic's reward for defeating Jiri Lehecka is a highly anticipated quarter-final showdown with third seed Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday. Alcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam winner at just 21 years old, has never progressed beyond the Australian Open quarter-finals. He secured his spot in the quarter-finals after Briton Jack Draper retired during their last-16 match, trailing 7-5, 6-1.


Alcaraz is looking forward to facing Djokovic, saying, “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.” He also expressed his admiration for Djokovic's form, stating, “When we are seeing him playing, he seems like he's young again, so... It's unbelievable. He's in a really good shape.” However, Alcaraz remains focused on his own game, adding, “I'm just ready and I know what I have to do in the quarter-finals.”



The upcoming quarter-final clash between Djokovic and Alcaraz will be their eighth meeting, with Djokovic currently leading 4-3 in their head-to-head. Their most recent encounter was in the Paris Olympics final, where Djokovic emerged victorious. The two players have faced each other three times in Grand Slams, including two Wimbledon finals won by Alcaraz. However, they have never played each other at Melbourne Park, where Djokovic has enjoyed his greatest success.




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