Serbian Novak Djokovic finally regained his rhythm at the Australian Open, winning 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 against Argentine opponent Tomas Etcheverry to move into the fourth round (Round of 16) in men’s singles at Melbourne Park on Friday. Djokovic, a 10-time Grand Slam champion, faced challenges in his first two matches of the tournament but delivered an outstanding performance in the first two sets of today’s match, completely dominating his 24-year-old Argentine opponent.
Today’s match marked Djokovic’s 100th at Melbourne Park. Etcheverry had previously defeated seasoned British star Andy Murray (36 years old) and Frenchman Gael Monfils (37 years old), eliminating them from the tournament, but he found himself in a different confrontation against Djokovic, who has 24 Grand Slam titles to his name.
Etcheverry, seeded 30th in the tournament, did not have any break points against Djokovic until the third set, which allowed the audience to enjoy an entertaining battle. Djokovic, the defending champion and top seed, certainly did not want to play a fourth set while suffering from cold-like symptoms. He ultimately secured the third set and the match, ensuring his appearance in the Round of 16 at a Grand Slam for the 63rd time in his career.
The Serbian player, who recorded 34 winners during the match, stated, "This was my best performance of the tournament so far, and I am definitely happy with my game, especially in the first two sets." He added, "His performance improved in the third set, but I managed to clinch the tiebreak with the right shots and serves, winning the match in three straight sets."
