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Novak Djokovic has set the stage for a thrilling quarter-final showdown with Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open on Tuesday after defeating Jiri Lehecka in straight sets. Djokovic’s impressive 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) victory over the Czech No. 24 puts him among the final eight in his quest for a record 25 Grand Slam titles.
The Serbian will now face Spanish sensation Alcaraz, who progressed after British number one Jack Draper withdrew with a hip injury on Sunday. The two have faced each other before, with Alcaraz winning the last two Wimbledon finals, but Djokovic bested the 21-year-old at the Paris Olympics last summer, claiming gold in what he described as his “greatest sporting achievement”.
Djokovic, who was booed by the crowd when Lehecka nearly forced a fourth set, wasted no time leaving Rod Laver Arena after his victory. The 37-year-old briefly thanked the fans, skipping the usual on-pitch interview.
While Djokovic looked fatigued in his third-round victory over Tomas Machac, at times needing a medical timeout, he looked stronger against Lehecka. He controlled the first two sets and did not allow Lehecka a break point for more than 100 minutes.
However, when Lehecka recovered in the third, Djokovic became visibly frustrated, yelling at his team – which includes former rival Andy Murray – and voicing complaints about crowd noise during his serve. The seventh seed later harnessed the energy of the spectators during the tie-break, orchestrating their cheers after performing a stunning backhand pass and cupping his ear after securing two match points with a deft volley.
Reflecting on his performance, Djokovic said: “When you feel adversity in the last few matches, I think I handled it well. Only people who have been there at the highest level understand what you have to deal with. “The stakes are high and you have to weather the storm when you feel challenged.”
The stage is now set for a highly anticipated clash between two of tennis’ brightest stars.
