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Tennis ace Novak Djokovic, after bulldozing Adrian Mannarino in Australian Open, impressively secured 58 victories in 63 fourth-round matches at Grand Slam tournaments, tying Roger Federer's record for the most quarterfinal appearances in majors. On January 21, the top-ranked Djokovic equalled his most decisive win at this stage of a major, advancing closer to a historic 25th major title with only three more wins needed. In his return to Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic defeated 20th seed Adrian Mannarino with a score of 6-0, 6-0, 6-3 to roll into Australian Open 2024 quarterfinals.
“All in all, a great performance,” Djokovic assessed in his on-court interview with Jim Courier.
This match saw Djokovic concede only three games, equaling his previous minimum at a fourth-round major match, which was against Marcel Granollers at the 2013 US Open. That match was also notable as the last time Djokovic won two sets with 6-0 scores in a Grand Slam, defeating Granollers 6-3, 6-0, 6-0.
Facing Mannarino, Djokovic had an almost unparalleled beginning, winning the first 13 games. This performance was just one game short of his remarkable debut in a Grand Slam, where he won the initial 15 games against Robby Ginepri, leading to a 6-0, 6-0, 6-3 victory at the 2005 Roland Garros when he was just 18.
Mannarino entered this match having endured three five-set matches, including a remarkable five-set victory over the 16th seed, Ben Shelton. Unbeknownst to the left-handed player, failing to capitalize on two break point opportunities in the first game - due to Djokovic's signature style of playing out of tight spots - would lead to a disheartening series of zeros on the scoreboard as the Serbian gradually overpowered him.
Following the double bagel in the initial two sets, Mannarino humorously gestured towards his team, holding up two zeros to his eyes. The 35-year-old's sense of humor resurfaced when he managed to hold his serve in the first game of the third set, eliciting enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.
“You know I really wanted to lose that game in the third set because the tension was building up so much in the stadium,” Djokovic joked to laughs. “I just needed to get that one out of the way so I could focus on what I wanted to do to close out the match.”
Djokovic delivered a stellar performance, serving 17 aces and accumulating more than twice as many winners as unforced errors. This display was his most impressive in the tournament so far. He sealed the straightforward victory, which lasted one hour and 44 minutes, with a final love hold. Additionally, 54 percent of his first serves were not returned.
“Never easy to play Adrian, who’s a very unorthodox player. It’s kind of cat and mouse,” Djokovic said. “I had to in a way physically endure the long rallies and try to run him around the court, which I did. I served very well... in the moments when I needed to come up with a first serve, I did.”
Should Djokovic triumph in his upcoming match against either Stefanos Tsitsipas, whom he defeated in last year's final, or Taylor Fritz, the native of Belgrade will pose a formidable challenge. His record at Melbourne Park is impeccable, with a 20-0 streak once reaching the semifinals. Moreover, Djokovic has won his last 32 matches at the Australian Open.
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