What doesn’t kill Novak Djokovic makes him stronger. On Friday night at Melbourne Park it was not only a dangerous opponent but also a stomach bug that left him green and calling for the doctor midway through the second set. The Serb even felt the electronic line calling system was against him.
But the march of Melbourne Park’s most persecuted continues towards a 25th grand slam title after he dispatched 26th seed Tomas Machac 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 in 142 minutes to book a place in the fourth round. He had surprisingly dropped a set against two lower-ranked opponents in the early rounds, but Djokovic looked formidable here in a brutal display of grinding groundstrokes and supreme physicality.
“This is definitely the best match I’ve played in the tournament,” he said. “I was slightly surprised to be honest with the result, to beat him straight sets.”
This was a contest of long, see-sawing rallies between two players that – apart from Machac’s underdeveloped serve – appeared well-matched. Ending after just three sets, those who filled Rod Laver Arena on a windy but warm evening in Melbourne were left wanting more.
But for a moment they might have got even less. Early in the second set the 24-time grand slam winner started to double over on the court, and buried his head at the change of ends. He looked ill, but remarkably was able to maintain his performance. Indeed, after a medical visit and some prescription drugs he appeared to improve his play. He declined to elaborate afterwards, saying only that he was trying to catch his breath. “I’m not 19 anymore,” he said. “I’m 19 times two, almost.”
Although the 37-year-old was broken early in that second set, the Serbian leaned heavily on his serve, and dropped just four points in the entire third frame. It served as the major difference between the players, and the most one-sided of the three matches the pair have played.
-Machac appeared to present a major threat to Djokovic’s pursuit of another Australian Open titile. He reached his first grand slam third round in Australia last year and possesses a potent, versatile backhand with mobility to cover the court. The 24-year-old has given Djokovic trouble in their two meetings which both went to deciding sets, and the Czech even prevailed in the last meeting between the pair.
Djokovic, however, smelled a weakness and attacked the Machac’s serve, winning almost two thirds of return points in the first set. Yet once each point settled into the baseline rhythm, the pair produced some of the tournament’s best exchanges. It made for a riveting, high-intensity display, even without the Serbian’s theatrics.
Apart from his illness, Djokovic was animated throughout the match in exchanges with his box which this year features Andy Murray. And he managed to find another enemy in the robot doing line calls. He felt aggrieved by two automated decisions in the second set, and in the third he offered eyes wide in faux surprise when a close call went his way. Late in third a member of the crowd called out during a play, enraging the 37-year-old.
But as he often has, Djokovic channeled his fury and powered a backhand passed the unfortunate Machac on match point, gesturing towards one fan who had heckled him throughout the evening as he met his opponent at the net. Another seeded Czech, world No 29 Jiri Lehecka, awaits Djokovic in the fourth round.
