His leg problems forgotten, the Serbian Novak Djokovic sent “a message” to his rivals with a unappealable victory against the Russian Andrey Rublev to advance to their tenth semifinals in the australian open.
Just two matches away from Rafael Nadal’s 22 Grand Slams and regaining leadership of the ATP ranking, the 35-year-old Serbian star they have always won the title in Melbourne when they have reached the semi-finals. And he hopes to continue “the same”, he warned after his second exhibition this week.
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Your next obstacle will be the American Tommy Paulwho had never gone past the round of 16 in a Grand Slam, while the another semifinal will be played by the Russian Karen Khachanov and the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipasa priori the main threat of the “Djoker”.
Deported a year ago from Australia for not being vaccinated against COVID-19 and injured this year shortly before the start of the tournament, the Serb assured that he faces the tournament with “some extra” determination. “I just wanted to do really well,” he said at the press conference.
‘A message to my opponents’
And that’s what this week has been used for, apparently forgotten the pains that weighed him down in the first three rounds, with two exhibitions against the Australian Álex de Miñaur in the round of 16 and the Russian Andrey Rublev, number six in the world, in the quarterfinals this Wednesday.
“Beat them dominantly in three sets is something I wanted right now, something that sends a message to all my opponents”, he acknowledged.
Intractable on the serve, with up to 14 ‘aces’, Djokovic harassed Rublev from the rest, responding to his powerful serves and dragging him into long rallies that the Russian had a hard time winning.
Instead, a rejuvenated Serb, sometimes annoyed by comments that were made to him from the standsreached everywhere and took out his repertoire of unlikely blows.
Although he struggled and on numerous occasions managed to land his right lashes, increasingly charged with frustration, Rublev conceded a double break in the first two sets. And in the third he lost the serve just to start, an advantage that Djokovic would no longer miss.
With victory in sets 6-1, 6-2 and 6-4, now the Serbian already sets his goal in Paul, a rival who “has nothing to lose” and that he got rid of his young compatriot Ben Shelton, one of the sensations of the tournament after reaching the quarterfinals on his first trip outside the United States. (D)
Source: Eluniverso
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