NEW DELHI: 10-time champion Novak Djokovic on Sunday set up a blockbuster Australian Open quarter-final against Carlos Alcaraz after beating Czech Jiri Lehecka.
The Serbian, 37, who is aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam title, triumphed over the 24th seed Lehecka 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) at the Rod Laver Arena.
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The victory marks Djokovic’s 15th quarter-final appearance at Melbourne Park, a record he now shares with Roger Federer and is one ahead of Rafael Nadal and John Newcombe.
The win also extends his own all-time mark to 61 for the most quarter-final appearances at major tournaments, three ahead of the Swiss great.
Djokovic’s reward is a showdown on Tuesday with third seed Alcaraz, who, at the age of 21, is already a four-time Slam winner but has never advanced beyond the Australian Open quarters. The Spaniard secured the clash after Briton Jack Draper retired during their last-16 match while trailing 7-5, 6-1.
“Being in a quarter-final, I’m going to approach the match the same as I did in the previous matches against him, and let’s see,” said Alcaraz of Djokovic.
“When we are seeing him playing, he seems like he’s young again, so… It’s unbelievable. He’s in a really good shape.”
But the Spaniard added: “I’m just ready and I know what I have to do in quarter-finals.”
Djokovic and Alcaraz have faced each other seven times, with the Serb holding a 4-3 lead, including a victory in their most recent encounter in the Paris Olympics final.
They have met at Grand Slams three times, twice in the Wimbledon decider, with the Spaniard winning on both occasions. However, they have never played at Melbourne Park, where Djokovic has achieved his greatest success.
Lehecka, who won the lead-up Brisbane International event where Djokovic lost in the quarter-finals, was never seriously in contention on the big stage.
Djokovic quickly put pressure on his serve and achieved a break in the eighth game of the first set when the Czech double-faulted.
Another break on Lehecka’s opening serve set the tone for the second set, with Djokovic dominating from the baseline.
In a closer third set, the young Czech changed tactics, pushing Djokovic to the net more while increasing his serving intensity. The set went to a tiebreak, where the Serb produced some stunning shots to seal the win.
In his match against Draper, Alcaraz was well in control when the Briton retired on a sweltering afternoon due to ‘multiple areas really in pain’.
The 15th seed Draper needed five sets to win his first three Melbourne matches, rallying from behind in all of them to stay in the tournament, and it finally caught up with him.
“It’s not the way I wanted to win. But obviously I’m happy to play another quarter-final here in Australia,” said Alcaraz.
“Physically, I’m feeling great. So coming into the second week of a Grand Slam it is important to feel well physically because right now the matches are even tougher.”
