A frustrated Novak Djokovic avoided disqualification and advanced to the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) victory over error-prone Dutchman Botic van de Zandsschulp as the 38-year-old continued his quest for a record-equalling 25th Grand Slam title.
With his 102nd win in Melbourne, the Serbian became the first player to reach 400 Grand Slam wins, equaling the record of Roger Federer, who won his first major six times that year.
It was Djokovic’s second Grand Slam to reach the fourth round without dropping a set, the first being Wimbledon in 2023, but it wasn’t a completely simple night.
Djokovic briefly lost his cool, but was lucky in the second set when he hit a ball near the ball girl who was near the net.
Although he avoided disqualification, the incident reminded him of his default at the 2020 U.S. Open for punching a linesman.
“I apologized for that,” Djokovic said at a press conference. “It wasn’t necessary and in the heat of the moment. I was lucky there. I’m sorry for the pain I caused the ball kids or anyone.”
Up two sets, Djokovic received treatment for a blister on his foot after falling in the third set, but recovered from the breakdown and held his nerve in the tiebreak.
“A few points before (the fall), I almost twisted my ankle so I wanted to see a physiotherapist to see if there was a blister,” Djokovic said.
“Thankfully I was able to take a good fall and protect myself. Things could have gotten very ugly at that moment.”
On a sultry day, Djokovic cut his lead to 5-3 as play continued under the canopy of the main show court, then hit a stunning backhand cross-court winner and celebrated by spreading his arms in imitation of an airplane.
He then endured a small upset, but had no trouble coming back to his full strength when a deflated Van de Zandsschulp broke with a backhand long in the first game of the second set.
But the Dutchman, who won their last meeting at Indian Wells last year, was leading 3-0 in the second set when he put pressure on Djokovic after a medical timeout due to a shoulder problem.
Djokovic briefly lost his cool while leading 4-2 and almost hit the ball girl at the net when he swung the ball away in the second set.
The Serbian fell in the third game of the third set and gripped his right ankle, causing concern although his subsequent visit to a trainer was to treat a blister.
Having had to save two set points at 5-6 in the third set, he entered a recent battle with the Melbourne crowd over noise during points, repeatedly putting his fingers to his lips and hands to his ears as he crossed the line to set up a showdown with 16th seed Jakub Mensik.
“I feel great, it’s a great start,” declared the 10-time Melbourne Park winner.
“Things can change, but I’m not moving forward because I learned a lesson last year where I got too excited early in some slam tournaments and got injured even though I played well and got to the quarterfinals and semifinals.”
“I’m still trying to push these young players to make money. I’m still there and working hard. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are playing at a different level.”
“But once you get on the court and get the ball rolling, you always have a chance…especially on this court. I’m hoping for a good fight.”
Djokovic says to himself: “Calm down, you bastard.”
In an on-court interview with two-time Australian Open champion Jim Courier, Djokovic was asked what advice he would give to his younger self.
“Calm down, you bastard,” Djokovic said.
“I often feel stressed on the court. Sometimes I get too nervous. I think patience is important. When we are young, we want everything here, today, no matter what area of life we are involved in.
“Having a little patience and trust in the process, and surrounding yourself with the right people, that’s one of the biggest keys early in a young player’s career. You have to build your personality so that you know what kind of people you want around you. People who can connect with you on a personal level.”
“You’ve got to have good chemistry, you’ve got to have a good atmosphere. You can draw good vibes and good energy out of that that lends itself to great performances.”
Henman: It was crazy how Djokovic almost hit the ball!
Djokovic treated for blisters after awkward fall
“Van de Zantsschulp is a really high quality, dangerous opponent. We’ve seen him beat the best players in the world,” six-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Tim Henman told TNT Sports.
“Djokovic was great for the first set and a half, but then he suddenly got irritated, distracted, and wasn’t as focused.
“He almost took the ball boy down, which was crazy.
“In the third set, life got a little difficult and he was on the back foot.
“If it had ended in four sets, it would have been tough. He did a good job of winning in three sets.”
Everyone stand up for Stan the Man!
Stan Wawrinka became the oldest player to reach the third round since Ken Rosewall in 1978, and the 40-year-old put up a good fight against ninth-seeded Taylor Fritz, but lost 7-6, (7-5), 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
The 2014 champion, who will retire at the end of the season, marked the occasion in unique style by grabbing two beers from the courtside bench and sharing them with tournament director Craig Tiley.
A video of Wawrinka’s best moments was played on a big screen at John Cain Arena, and the Swiss player said: “I’ve had a lot of emotions over the last 20 years here. I won my first Grand Slam here and it’s always fun to come here and (there’s a lot of support).”
“I’m sad to leave, but it’s been a great journey.”
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