Synopsis
Novak Djokovic defeated Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) at the Australian Open, showcasing his skill with only 21 unforced errors compared to Lehecka's 44. This victory paves the way for a quarterfinal match against Carlos Alcaraz, who is also pursuing significant career milestones.Key Takeaways
- Djokovic won against Lehecka in straight sets.
- He matched Federer's record for quarterfinal appearances.
- Both players are chasing historic milestones.
- Djokovic's next opponent is Alcaraz.
- Match lasted two hours and 39 minutes.
Melbourne, Jan 19 (NationPress) Novak Djokovic sailed through his match against the 24th seed Jiri Lehecka with a score of 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) at the Australian Open on Sunday. The Serbian star recorded a mere 21 unforced errors, while his opponent struggled with 44 unforced errors.
In a match that lasted two hours and 39 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic is in pursuit of his record-extending 25th major title. This victory also allows him to match Roger Federer's record of reaching 15 men’s singles quarterfinals at this hard-court major.
Lehecka’s performance in the first set faltered due to a poor service game at 4-3. Djokovic capitalized on this and quickly served out to claim the set, then broke Lehecka’s serve again in the opening game of the second set to double his lead.
As the match progressed, another ineffective service game from Lehecka in the first game of the third set allowed Djokovic to break serve once more. However, the Czech player managed to equalize at 1-1 with his first break of serve in the match. Despite showing flashes of power, Lehecka couldn't sustain momentum, and Djokovic clinched the tie-break, marking his first success in three attempts in 2025.
This win sets up Djokovic’s first Grand Slam encounter on a hard court with his long-time rival Alcaraz, who earlier advanced when Jack Draper retired while trailing 7-5, 6-1 in their fourth-round match. Djokovic holds a 4-3 lead in their ATP head-to-head series, although Alcaraz has emerged victorious in two of their three prior major meetings.
The Serbian aims to become the oldest player in the Open Era to secure a Grand Slam title, a record currently held by Ken Rosewall, who won the 1972 Australian Open at 37 years and 62 days old. By the end of this tournament in Melbourne, Djokovic will be 37 years and 249 days old.
In contrast, Alcaraz is striving to be the youngest player to achieve a career Grand Slam in men's singles history. The 21-year-old can also become the youngest champion at the hard-court major since Djokovic won at just 20 years old in 2008.
Earlier in the day, Alexander Zverev defeated Ugo Humbert with a score of 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the quarterfinals. The World No. 2, who is pursuing his first Grand Slam title, will next face Tommy Paul, a former Australian Open semifinalist, who dominated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in a 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 victory.
