Alex De Minaur’s popularity is increasing rapidly, to the point where he was given a coveted daytime spot on Rod Laver Arena, even though this is not the norm. However, this change in schedule had no impact on Novak Djokovic’s performance, as he convincingly won in the fourth round.
The Australian Open committee arranged for de Minaur’s fourth-round match against Russian fifth seed Andrey Rublev to take place during the evening session on Sunday, so Djokovic faced Adrian Mannarino in the early afternoon.
This was the initial occurrence of the 10-time winner participating in a daytime match since 2021. It broke a streak of 15 consecutive evening matches, and it seemed like he may have taken it as a personal challenge. He showed no mercy in defeating Mannarino in three sets, with scores of 6-0, 6-0, and 6-3.
“I don’t think it’s a secret that I enjoy playing at 7pm,” Djokovic stated following his one-hour and 44-minute defeat. “However, today’s game wasn’t too bad. The way I performed, I wouldn’t mind playing during the day.”
Despite being ahead 6-0 and 2-0, Djokovic fiercely battled to avoid losing a game to the Frenchman. He pumped his fist with enthusiasm after saving a break point and celebrated as if he had won the title when he held a 3-0 lead.
The actions were strange, to say the least, but highlighted the top-ranked player’s relentless drive to break Margaret Court’s record and win an unprecedented 25th grand slam singles title next Sunday.
Despite any doubts, the 36-year-old continues to break records each time he plays on the court in recent times. With his win on Sunday, the number one seed has now reached an impressive 58th grand slam quarter-final, matching the achievement of his former rival and now retired legend, Roger Federer.
Despite his dominant victory, Djokovic faced some challenges as he coughed and struggled throughout the match. The 24-time Grand Slam champion revealed that he had been sick during the first week, causing tennis legend Rod Laver to question whether he was being truthful.
On Tuesday, he will face world No 12 player Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals after Fritz defeated last year’s runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.
Djokovic expressed his desire for efficiency following his victory, stating the importance of finishing matches in straight sets as quickly as possible. However, this is not always feasible as competition becomes tougher in later rounds of the tournament.
“I wasn’t actively considering it. I was simply following the current and the past few days have been quite positive. My physical and tennis progress is moving in a favorable direction, so I am content with my current state.”
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On Sunday, De Minaur, who is currently at the peak of his career, will look forward to the chance to perform in front of a large audience on the main court at his hometown grand slam.
The 24-year-old expressed interest in playing on RLA, stating that the prime-time slot holds significance and must be earned. However, the timing and location of the match do not affect their performance.
Ranked as the 10th best player in the world, de Minaur will carry the reassurance of having won three out of five matches against Rublev into their last-16 match. A fourth triumph over the Russian would advance de Minaur to the quarter-finals, where he would potentially face either the fourth-ranked Sinner or world No 15 Karen Khachanov.
De Minaur has only made it to the quarter-finals of a major tournament once before – at the 2020 US Open, where he lost to eventual winner Dominic Thiem. After being eliminated in the fourth round at the last two Australian Opens, de Minaur is determined to reach the quarter-finals of his home country’s grand slam this year.
“I am determined to improve and surpass my personal record by reaching the quarter-finals. This is just the beginning for me. In the past, I have reached the fourth round a few times but have not played up to my desired level. My goal is to break through that barrier and achieve even more.”
