Melbourne, Jan 19 (IANS) Novak Djokovic brushed past 24th seed Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) at the Australian Open on Sunday. The Serbian produced just 21 unforced errors in the match compared to his opponent’s 44.
Djokovic, who is bidding for his record-extending 25th major, took two-hour and 39-minute to seal the victory over the Czech player at the Rod Laver Arena. With this win, the Serbian great has equalled Swiss legend Roger Federer’s record of reaching 15 men’s singles quarterfinals at the hard-court major.
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.
The Serb is bidding to become the oldest player in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam title, a record that currently belongs to Ken Rosewall, who won the 1972 Australian Open at the age of 37 years and 62 days. At the end of this Melbourne fortnight, Djokovic will be 37 years and 249 days old.
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.
Earlier in the day, Alexander Zverev defeated Ugo Humbert 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals. 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.
–IANS
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