Novak Djokovic Reaches Australian Open Quarterfinals with Easy Win Over Alex de Minaur

Novak Djokovic displayed dominant form as he effortlessly defeated Alex de Minaur in straight sets to advance to the Australian Open quarterfinals. The world No. 5 played remarkable tennis, winning 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 in just two hours and seven minutes, leaving De Minaur unable to match Djokovic’s relentless and precise play.

Initially, it seemed the match could be challenging for Djokovic after the first four games, but the 21-time grand slam champion then won an astonishing 16 out of the next 19 games, decisively taking control of the match.

Djokovic will now face No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev for a spot in the semifinals. “I cannot say I’m sorry you haven’t watched a longer match,” Djokovic quipped to the crowd during his post-match interview. “I really wanted to win in straight sets. You never know what will happen on the court. You have to deal with many things on and off the court.

“The first four or five games were close, one break of serve in the first set. I started feeling more loose and free to go through the ball and be more aggressive. I felt he was a bit more nervous … that was my opportunity to capitalize.

“Things can change in a matter of moments, a matter of points. I played the best match of the year so far. I was feeling good in the first match, not so great in the second, so I don’t take anything for granted. But I was happy with the way I moved today and the way I hit the ball.”

De Minaur stayed competitive in the opening set for the first four games, but with Djokovic’s groundstrokes displaying relentless depth and power, a breakthrough seemed inevitable. Djokovic intensified his game, quickly pulling away and securing the first set 6-2 after a four-game streak.

The Australian crowd tried to energize De Minaur, welcoming him warmly as the players emerged for the second set. However, Djokovic held serve and immediately broke De Minaur, extending his game-winning run to six.

This was their first meeting, and De Minaur quickly realized the challenge of facing Djokovic on Rod Laver Arena. Despite his left hamstring being heavily strapped, Djokovic showed no signs of physical limitation and delivered a tennis masterclass.

Few players have managed to match Djokovic when he’s in this kind of form. His unforced errors were minimal, and his powerful shots were precise. Djokovic surged to a 4-0 lead in the second set after an eight-game winning streak. With De Minaur struggling to keep up in every rally, the match’s outcome seemed certain.

De Minaur finally ended Djokovic’s nine-game streak, holding serve at 0-5 in the second set to avoid a bagel. Although it was small consolation, De Minaur deserved credit for battling hard and maintaining his intensity. But Djokovic’s intensity didn’t waver, and he quickly took a 4-0 lead in the third set.

De Minaur continued to fight, managing to hold serve and make it 4-1 in the third set. The Australian crowd applauded his effort, the noise more fitting for a set won than a single game. However, Djokovic swiftly closed out the final set 6-2.

As Djokovic progresses, making him play three more matches to claim his 10th Australian Open title seems like a daunting task, with the Serb being the clear favorite given his current form.

In his post-match interview after a five-set battle against Holger Rune, Rublev humorously remarked about the challenge of having to defeat Djokovic to reach his first grand slam semifinal. The remaining players in the draw likely share similar sentiments, facing the daunting prospect of overcoming Djokovic to win the Australian Open.