Novak Djokovic once again demonstrated why he remains a formidable opponent, easily eliminating Czech player Tomas Machac in the third round with a score of 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. This meeting lasted 2 hours and 22 minutes, allowing Djokovic to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open for the seventeenth time in his prestigious career. His next challenge will be against Jiri Lehecka.
As pressure mounts, Djokovic has dispelled doubts about his form. Despite some signs of physical discomfort, particularly respiratory, which required a medical time-out, he encountered little resistance from Machac, who seemed more and more frustrated as the match progressed. Many expected a better performance from the young Czech prospect, but he failed to match the high level of play presented by the Serbian.
From the start, Djokovic set the tone by breaking Machac’s serve from the start, thus taking a clear advantage. He won the first set 6-1 in just over half an hour, despite body language that betrayed some embarrassment, reminiscent of his previous encounter against Faria.
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The second set saw more drama, with Djokovic visibly showing signs of distress. After a 2-0 start for Machac, Djokovic quickly rectified the situation and, after a medical procedure where he received medication, regained his composure. He thus managed to come back, going from 0-2 to 6-4, leaving Machac without a solution to counter Djokovic’s domination.
-The final set mirrored the previous ones, with Djokovic quickly taking an early break. The Serb showed his power on serve, recording six of nine aces during the match, ending any hopes of a comeback for Machac.
Currently, Alexander Zverev is the only player to have reached the fourth round without losing a set, equaling Boris Becker’s record with 21 accesses to the fourth round at a Grand Slam.
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