NOVAK DJOKOVIC JOINS ROGER FEDERER IN THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS FOURTH ROUND BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: on 22nd January 2016
Tennis Australian Open 2016
NOVAK DJOKOVIC JOINS ROGER FEDERER IN THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS FOURTH ROUND BY RICKY DIMON

epa05118995 Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a shot against Andreas Seppi of Italy during their third round match on day five of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 22 January 2016. EPA/JULIAN SMITH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT  |

Making a rare foray into Margaret Court Arena, Novak Djokovic closed out his third-round Australian Open match against Andreas Seppi 6-1, 7-5, 7-6(6) on Friday night. Djokovic held all 16 of his service games to advanced in two hours and 21 minutes.

 

Seppi had a break chances midway through the second set and early in the third, but the veteran Italian could not convert. More opportunities came with Seppi leading 6-4 in the ensuing tiebreaker. Again, however, Djokovic proved to be too tough at pressure moments. The world No. 1 fought off a pair of set points and eventually clinched victory with a service winner at 7-6.

 

“It’s my subjective feeling that Margaret Court is [playing] slightly slower than Rod Laver Arena,” Djokovic commented. “But nevertheless the ball bounces low. It’s pretty good for a type of player like Andreas Seppi, who plays very flat and very solid from both corners of the baseline with a lot of depth. I think I served my way out of trouble several times. But certainly I must be pleased with a straight-set win because both sets–especially the third–could have gone a different way.”

 

Earlier in the evening, Roger Federer was pushed to four sets before getting the job done against Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. Federer fired 13 aces to reach the fourth round after two hours and 50 minutes. In doing so, the 34-year-old Swiss earned the 300th Grand Slam match victory of his career.

Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates after defeating Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in a third round match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 22 January 2016. EPA/TRACEY NEARMY

 

“It’s very exciting, I must tell you,” Federer assured. “Like when I reached 1,000 (overall wins) last year, it was a big deal for me. Not something I ever aimed for or looked for, but when it happens, it’s very special. Yeah, you look deeper into it, I guess, where it’s all happened and how. Yeah, so it’s very nice. I’m very happy.”

 

Joining Federer and Djokovic in the last 16 were David Goffin, Gilles Simon, Kei Nishikori, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Tomas Berdych, and Roberto Bautista Agut. The only upset on Day 5 saw Bautista Agut take out 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic in straight sets. Not a single contest went the five-set distance.

 

Next up for Federer is Goffin.

 

“We’ll see now how the conditions are the next round because Goffin can play very, very, well,” Federer noted. “Got a lot of respect for him. Know him well. I think the conditions are definitely going to help or not help, depending on what it’s going to be like.”

 

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

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