Etcheverry-Djokovic for the Australian Open: when the match, how and where to watch it

The Argentine Tomas Etcheverrywho today reached the third round in Australian Openwill have the Serbian as a rival Novak Djokovic -number one in the world and reigning champion- in the next instance of the first Grand Slam of the year. The match will be played on Friday with a time to be defined but probably in the early hours of the morning in Argentina with broadcast by ESPN and Star+.

Etcheverry, 24 years old and number 32 in the ATP world ranking, beat the Frenchman Gaël Monfils (76) 6-4, 6-4 and 6-4 in two hours and 14 minutes, and added another big win in Australia after eliminating the English (former No. 1) on his debut. Andy Murray.

The Platanese will play in the third round against Djokovic, who beat the Australian Alexei Popyrin24 years old and 43rd in the rankings, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (4) and 6-3.

Engraving He faced the Serbian twice in his career 36 years old and winner of 24 Grand Slam tournaments (10 in Australia). There were two victories for “Nole” in the Masters 1000 in Rome and Paris, in 2023.

“I’m very happy. An enormous joy, it was a beautiful match. The atmosphere was very beautiful, what we experienced was very beautiful. There were fans of both teams, there were many Argentinians and many French. “It was easy because there was a lot of energy on the court. But I think I was very good, playing excellent tennis and that’s why I got the victory. Was I able to do what I had done in the previous days and in training?” he declared Etcheverry in conversation with ESPN.

Etcheverry’s best performance in a Slam has arrived Roland Garros 2023when he reached quarter finals and was eliminated after losing to the German Alexander Zverev in four sets. Australia’s already is the second best performance of the Argentine in a major tournament.

Djokovic is not just an idol for Etcheverry. It is the yardstick with which the man from La Plata has been measuring his evolution for years. The fact is that when he got his first ATP point, at the age of 17, beating Peruvian Andre Ku Meza in the first round of the ITF in Salinas in October 2016, the Serbian was already number one.

Tommy, who had started in the qualifiers and had a bye in the second round, celebrated that victory in a special way. On a piece of paper he wrote “Novak Djokovic 12,900 points; Tomás Etcheverry 1 point. 12,899 missing” and took a photo, which appeared on social media some time later.

“My coach at the time, Luciano Cabeiro, thought of doing it… to motivate me. It was something original. We laughed a lot,” the Argentine recalled. “When I got into the Top 100 I did it again, it was worth it.”

The second postcard arrived in April last year. After playing in the Challenger final in Mexico City, which he lost to the Swiss Marc Andrea Huesler, Etcheverry jumped from 106th to 95th place and entered the top 100 of the rankings for the first time. And the celebration was the same: “Novak Djokovic 8,420, Tomás Etcheverry 714. 7,760 to go.” “I’m getting closer, Nole,” he wrote on Instagram along with a photo and a laughing face emoji.

The curious celebrations of the Platanese reached Djokovic who, before his first match in Rome, commented laughing: “I saw his publications reduce the difference in points between us. He has the possibility of reducing the difference tomorrow”.

After that funny episode, Nole doubled his bet: “It’s a nice story. I haven’t had the chance to talk to him or see him play much. He’s a young player, new to the circuit. But he seems like a very nice player.” Argentine boy, and “Argentina has had a great tennis tradition for many years. I wish them all the best except tomorrow night.” Djokovic must be thinking the same thing right now.