The nine times champion Novak Djokovic will seek his ticket to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open this Monday morning when he meets the local Alex de Minaur (24th) not before 5 (Argentine time; ESPN television and online on the Star+ platform).
The first Grand Slam of the year is giving surprise after surprise and the Serbian, 5th in the ATP ranking, cannot be neglected since he has been dealing with some discomfort in his left knee and right ankle.
Anyway, Nole has barely dropped a set so far in the Open, against the Frenchman Enzo Couacaud in the second round. Both in first, against the Spanish Roberto Carballés, and in third, against the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, his wins were in straight sets.
Before the Serbian they will be playing from 00:30 -scheduled time- the Russian Andrey Rublev (6th) and the Dane Holger Rune (10th) on that side of the key. While simultaneously the Americans will be measured Ben Shelton (89th) and JJ Wolf (67th)two of the tournament’s hits, which will define the rival of the duel that they will animate later the Spanish Roberto Bautista Agut (25th) and another Yankee, Tommy Paul (35th).
Australia, where the number one in the ranking Carlos Alcaraz did not play due to a tear, already charged Rafael Nadal (2nd) and Casper Ruud (3rd), both eliminated by Americans in the second round: the Spanish, very physically handicapped, fell to Mackenzie McDonald (65th) while the Norwegian was unable to beat Jenson Brooksby (39th). Then neither made it past the third round.
Great match between Tsitsipas and Sinner
The Top 5 that is still on the way is the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (4th), who this Sunday survived a great game with the Italian Jannik Sinner (16th) and got into the quarterfinals after winning 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6 and 6-3.
Another one that advanced is the ashy Czech Jiri Lehecka (71st) by eliminating the Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime (7th) by 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2) and 7-6 (3). The 21-year-old Czech will then face the 24-year-old Hellenic in one of the quarterfinal matches.
On that side of the painting, the another quarterfinal clash: Karen Khachanov (20th) vs Sebastian Korda (31st). The Russian had no mercy on the Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka this Sunday and thrashed him 6-0, 6-0 and 7-6 (4) while the American Korda defeated 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 1- 6 and 7-6 (7) to the Polish Hubert Hurkacz (11th).
Pegula, the favorite
In the women’s draw, three of the quarterfinalists are already defined: Kazakh Elena Rybakina (25th) and Latvian Jelena Ostapenko (17th) will animate one of the crossings, while American Jessica Pegula (3rd) wait for the winner of the Belarusian Victoria Azarenka (24th) vs the Chinese Zhu Lin (87th) to meet her rival.
Pegula was the top favorite for the title after the Eliminations of the Polish Iga Swiatek (1st in the WTA ranking) against the aforementioned Rybakina by double 6-4 in the fourth round and of the Tunisian Ons Jabeur (2nd) against the Czech Marketa Vondrousova 6-1, 5-7 and 6-1 in the second round.
This Sunday night (Argentine time) they will be taking the other four fourth-round crosses:
- the belarusian Aryna Sabalenka (5th) vs the Swiss Belinda Bencic (10th)
- The Polish Magda Linette (45th) with the French Caroline Garcia (4th)
- The Croatian Donna Vekic (64th) before the Czech Linda Fruhvirtova (82nd)
- The Chinese Zhang Shuai (22nd) against the Czech Karolina Pliskova (31st)