Djokovic is on course for a record-extending 11th men’s singles title in Melbourne
Top seed Novak Djokovic moved ominously into the Australian Open quarter-finals with a ruthless thrashing of French 20th seed Adrian Mannarino.
Djokovic, chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title, claimed a dominant 6-0 6-0 6-3 win in one hour and 44 minutes.
The 36-year-old will face either Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas – in what would be a repeat of last year’s final – or American Taylor Fritz next.
“The first two sets were the best sets I have played in a while,” he said.
Until Mannarino won the second game of the third set, Djokovic was on course to be the first player to win all three sets without dropping a game at a Grand Slam since 1993 – a feat never achieved at the Australian Open.
When Mannarino did clinch the game, the Rod Laver Arena crowd cheered wildly and the Frenchman broke into a huge smile.
“I really wanted to lose that game because the tension was building up in the stadium,” Djokovic joked afterwards.
“I needed to get that one out of the way so I could refocus on what I needed to do to close out the match. I played great from the first to the last point.”
Should Djokovic defend his title in Melbourne, he will surpass Margaret Court’s record for the most Grand Slam titles.
More to follow
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