Serbian Novak Djokovic defeated the Russian Andrey Rublev for tough 6-1, 6-2 and 6-4, in two hours and three minutes, in the quarterfinals of the Australian Openround in which He had no failures either in the game or in physical condition, apparently there was no discomfort in his left thigh.
His opponent in the semi-finals will be the American Tommy Paul, an unprecedented duel between two players.
The winner of the 21 “major” titles reaches the semi-finals for the tenth time on the banks of the Yarra and is third in this chapter on a list led by Switzerland’s Roger Federer with 15 entries in the round leading up to the final.
The Serb, fourth in the ATP and eventual number one if he wins the tournament, finished off a brilliant performance in the quarterfinals against a fat Rublev who couldn’t change his strategy to stop Balkan from showing off again in his beloved Rod Laver. Sand.
The opening bars of the clash set the script for the rest of the match after the tournament’s fourth seed broke his opponent’s serve (5th) in the second return game. Rublev went from 40-15 to a break point, which this time was converted by Djokovic.
At the 24th minute of the match, the Serb was already leading the score 4:1. Back at 16, he made a new break and secured the score 6-1.. In every game that Rublev served, he had a chance to make a break. Djokovic, an Imperial throughout the first set, gave up only two breakballs in Game 7.
Despite the seeming ease with which he had to overcome the Muscovite, Djokovic fired off a number of complaints to his Croatian coach Goran Ivanisevic, which surprised the crowd draped in Serbian flags, who did not believe the wrath of the Balkan maestro after a goal in the first set. . . .
The Russian, who also lost his temper under the impassive gaze of his coach, the Spaniard Fernando Vicente, had a chance to get even more involved in the second set, which was off balance with a break that meant 4-2 for the Belgrade player. .
Rublev could not deal with his opponent until the end of the second set, when he saved four set points and traded them for a break point. But Djokovic did not flinch, and with his serve and shots in the corners, he avoided danger and took advantage of what seemed final.
The Russian put his hands on his head in a gesture of despondency due to the endless superiority of Djokovic, who allowed himself to relax at certain moments so as not to compromise a physique that was about to say enough during their second and third round of clashes.
As in the opening set, the third sleeve began with Balkan’s “break” strike, a reminder of his status as the best receiver on the track.
The ball, which crashed into the tape and bounced off to the side, brought Djokovic the score 4:2. The player crossed himself and raised his index finger to the sky: he felt that luck was also on his side. Rublev could only snort and shake his head in his helplessness.
Rublev’s weariness and lack of ideas contrasted with the freshness of Djokovic, ten years older, who used his tennis intelligence to win a new match in just over two hours.
With the score 5:4, Djokovic’s two direct shots and Rublev’s return shot into the net brought the Serb three match points. the first one was enough after the last mistake of the Russian.
The nine-time Australian Open champion finished the match with 13 aces, 30 winners and deflected all five of his proposed smash balls.
“This is my second best match since I played Alex De Minor,” Djokovic said after the win. “You have to make adjustments and adapt to this wind,” he commented on the conditions in which the game took place.
“I miss playing tennis on the weekend between matches, but it’s important to make sure that the leg is ready for the competition,” he added.
“Let’s give Roger a big round of applause. I would like to offer you a skiing careerhe said, recalling his first Grand Slam semi-final against Switzerland’s Roger Federer.
Balkan used his on-court interview with American tennis player Jim Courier to wish his mother a happy birthday, which led the entire audience to sing to her in honor of her anniversary.
Djokovic adds his 44th Grand Slam semi-final appearance and remains two behind him Federer who is 46.
He tied with the American in 26 straight wins. Andre Agassi as the Open Era player with the most consecutive match wins at the Australian Open.
He started this streak by defeating American Mitchell Krueger in the first round of the 2019 championship.
His next opponent will be American Tommy Paul.who woke up from sleep his 20-year-old compatriot Ben Shelton.
“I would like to take on Djokovic in this arena. I know that it would be easier if I played against Rublev, ”the American commented during a press conference after his quarterfinal match.
The clash of two tennis players who never met heralds a bout of long exchanges, a consequence of the consistency both have shown in their latest clashes to qualify for the semi-finals of the Australian Open.
“He has nothing to lose. He played very well last year. I have to be mentally prepared. If I play like that, I will have many chances to pass,” said the Serb about his next match against Paul.
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Source: La Opinion
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