'Passive' Djokovic grinds out win
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World No. 1 Novak Djokovic of Serbia (left) took four sets to beat American Frances Tiafoe in their Australian Open second-round match.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
MELBOURNE • Pumped-up defending champion Novak Djokovic yesterday admitted he was "pushed to the limit" by dangerous Frances Tiafoe, with the American taking the world No. 1 to four gruelling sets at the Australian Open.
The top seed looked in control after taking the first set, but lightning-quick Tiafoe, who reached the quarter-finals two years ago, refused to go quietly.
He bounced back to take the second set before Djokovic dug deep to emerge a 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 second-round winner and continue his relentless march towards a ninth Australian Open title.
"I was impressed with the way he was competing. He served very well, he fought hard," said the Serb, who was playing against 64th-ranked Tiafoe for the first time.
"He put me in a difficult spot... At times, I was too passive. Just wasn't feeling the ball today as well as I normally do."
The 17-time Grand Slam champion will play another American, Taylor Fritz, in the third round tomorrow and has won both their previous encounters.
Djokovic, chasing an 18th Slam crown to close in on the record 20 titles held by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, has won a record eight times in Melbourne. It was the scene of his maiden Slam triumph in 2008 and he is unbeaten here since his shock defeat by South Korea's Chung Hyeon in the round of 16 in 2018.
Like Djokovic, Alexander Zverev also made heavy weather of ousting American qualifier Maxime Cressy but the German eventually found his groove to win 7-5, 6-4, 6-3. The world No. 7, who is gunning for a maiden Slam title after advancing to the semi-finals here last year, said of his opponent, ranked 165 places below him: "He's an extremely difficult player.
"He's dangerous for anybody. I just had to be patient and wait for my chances."
Zverev's next opponent will be 32nd seed and world No. 36 Adrian Mannarino of France tomorrow.
Most of the other favourites also got through their matches. US Open champion Dominic Thiem brushed aside Dominik Koepfer 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 to set up a third-round clash with fiery Nick Kyrgios .
The Australian world No. 47 raised the roof at the John Cain Arena with a stunning 5-7, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 comeback victory over France's Ugo Humbert.
However, 2014 Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka blew three match points in his own thriller, falling to a 7-5, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 7-6 (11-9) defeat by Marton Fucsovics.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
