Djokovic reaches 30 consecutive wins at Australian Open

Djokovic continued to endure a four-set match at the 2024 Australian Open as the Serbian spent 3 hours and 12 minutes for a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 victory over 24-year-old opponent Alexei Popyrin.

Djokovic has a 13-1 record against Australians, but Popyrin is not afraid to face the world No. 1. The 43rd ranked player has caused a lot of trouble for the defending champion and could have changed the outcome of the match if he had taken advantage of the opportunity to win the third set.

Djokovic is on a 30-match winning streak at the Australian Open (Photo: Getty).

Djokovic said after the match: "Popyrin missed an easy forehand and I was lucky to get out of danger. He was the better player for a set and a half, but the momentum changed after the tie-break."

Popyrin started confidently, chasing Djokovic fiercely in the first set. The home player saved break-points in the 4th and 6th games to continue to put pressure on his opponent, but Djokovic still played very solidly. The No. 1 seed successfully broke the 8th game (5-3) to create a turning point, moving towards a 6-3 victory.

In the second set, Popyrin quickly took the lead when he broke the 4th game (3-1) and continuously created a gap of two games. He missed the chance to win when he lost the 9th game (4-5). However, Djokovic did not play well in game 10, giving his opponent a chance to win 6-4.

Popyrin is fearless when facing Djokovic (Photo: Getty).

Winning the second set boosted Popyrin's confidence, and he kept Djokovic chasing him in the third set. Popyrin had a chance to win in game 10 when he was leading 40-0, but unfortunately he couldn't take advantage. As a result, Djokovic successfully defended the game after saving a total of 4 set points.

When the second set had to be played in a tie-break, Djokovic used his extensive experience and played with confidence to win 7-4, thereby taking a 2-1 lead. Missing the chance to win in the third set made Popyrin a bit mentally shaken.

Djokovic broke the sixth game, taking a 4-2 lead in the fourth set. Although the host player tried to catch up later, Djokovic did not miss the chance to win. Without losing his serve, Djokovic sealed the 6-3 victory and closed the match.

Djokovic celebrates after winning a point in a rally (Photo: Getty).

"I had mixed emotions on the court, it wasn't a great atmosphere for me to play in today," Djokovic told Eurosport. The Serbian was provoked by an overzealous home fan, which is understandable given Djokovic was up against a native player.

"It's frustrating when you have people chasing you," Djokovic added. Asked about his physical condition, Djokovic said: "I don't want to go into details about how I feel, but I don't feel the best. I've been in this situation many times, though."

With Djokovic having to play four sets in his last two matches for more than seven hours on the court, it is clear that the player who owns the record of 24 Grand Slams has not played as well as he usually does. That gives some hope to his opponent in the third round, Tomas Etcheverry.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/djokovic-cham-moc-30-chien-thang-lien-tiep-tai-australian-open-20240118013254146.htm