Novak Djokovic demolishes rivals and records at the Australian Open: the incredible series of victories he will try to extend against Taylor Fritz

Novak Djokovic He has clear ideas about what he wants to achieve in Melbourne: win his 11th championship Australian Openlifts his 25th “big” trophy – with which to break the tie Margherita Corte and be the first overall winner in that category – and take the first step towards achieving the coveted and unprecedented Golden Slam. And with that triple objective in his sights, the Serbian continues to add victories on Australian hard courts, continues to destroy rivals and, at the same time, to break records that increasingly broaden his statistics and his legend.

With the overwhelming 6-0, 6-0 and 6-3 he scored against the Frenchman Adriano Mannarino19th in the ranking, to enter the top eight of this edition of the oceanic tournament, Nole reached the quarter-finals of a Slam for the 58th time. He thus equaled the record for the greatest number of presentations in the Open era, which until Sunday was held, alone, by the Swiss Roger Federer, another living tennis legend. The third, and rather distant, is Rafael Nadalwith 47.

The world number one also became the first player since the ranking was established ATP, in 1973, winning the first two sets of a match in “0” against a rival in the top 20 in a “big”. And the first since 2015 to lose three or fewer matches against a player ranked in the top 20 of the world rankings, even in a match at a tournament of this level. Who was the last one to make it? Himself, when he beat the Croatian 6-0, 6-1 and 6-2 Martin Cilic in the semi-finals of US Openjust over eight years ago.

Yes, the level Djokovic has shown since last season (and even before) is so overwhelming that he has already started breaking his own records. And it is not difficult to understand why: as he himself recognised, celebrating achievements such as those obtained thanks to the beating inflicted on Mannarino in Rod Laver Arena It is one of his greatest motivations today.

“Winning Majors, breaking records and staying at the top of tennis are goals that always motivate me, without a doubt. Also the love of sport. I really love tennis, I’m passionate about competing with the best in the world. The fact of having a break for or against still excites me, continues to awaken very deep emotions in me,” she commented.

And he stated that even though he has already won (almost) everything a tennis player can win – an Olympic medal is the only goal that remains unattainable for him – he still lives tennis with the same intensity.

“I thought this year I would feel a little more relaxed or at least a little less tense or stressed during training, but that’s not the case. I feel like I’ve always felt. It was also evident against Mannarino, I had the match completely under control and as soon as I had a complicated match I started arguing with my boxer. I always try to give the best performance I can and when I don’t get it I get frustrated,” he reflected.

He added: “The inner fire, which allowed me to achieve everything I achieved and become the player I am, still burns. And I continue to enjoy the process. I no longer play for money or points, just because I want to play and because “I like competition. But I don’t think that as long as I’m still on the circuit I’ll be able to go out on the field relaxed and have fun. It wouldn’t be me,” she mused.

Djokovic, who improved his tennis and physical level in Melbourne, will seek a place in the semi-finals against an opponent in great shape, Taylor Fritz12th favorite.

The 26-year-old American beat the Greek in the quarterfinals Stefanos Tsitsipas (6th seed and finalist of the competition last year) by 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-3 and 6-3 and achieved the first victory of his career against a top 10 player. as of Sunday, he had a record of 0-11 against opponents in that group.

Now he will go to land the big blow against the Serbian, to interrupt another long negative streak. Fritz has eight defeats in as many games against Nole. Furthermore, seven of these falls occurred in straight sets. He was only able to steal two games in the match played in the third round of Australia 2021, in which the Serbian won 7-6 (7-1), 6-4, 3-6, 4-6 and 6-2. .

Fritz also didn’t give up and, confident in the great victory achieved against Tsitsipas, was excited to take the blow.

“In the last matches against Stefanos I felt in a kind of trance because I was able to do almost everything on the pitch and always make the right decision. I flowed through the pitch at all times. I hadn’t felt something like that for a long time. And it’s fantastic because it gives me enormous confidence”, analyzed the North American.

And the duel before Nolehe warned: “It is logical that he has enormous confidence when he faces me, taking into account that he has beaten me the eight times we have played. But I feel that the conditions here are much more favorable for me than the scenarios we have played in.” “We will play the last matches. Now I have much more to offer against Djokovic,” he warned.

Even the number one did not want to trust himself, beyond the favorable record against his next rival: “More battles are coming. From now on the level will rise, the opponents will be very tough, like Fritz, and it won’t be an easy match”, warned the Serbian.

Even knowing he has that triple goal between his eyebrows and given the lethal tennis he demonstrated against Mannarino – and also in the previous round against Tomás Etcheverry – it is difficult to imagine him folding against the American in Melbourne.