Novak Djokovic played his best match so far at the 2024 Australian Open, beating Tomas Martin Etcheverry in three sets.
The Serbian has struggled in Melbourne so far this year, having lost a set against qualifier Dino Prizmic and then playing a match that was far below his average against Alexei Popyrin, who also won a set.
Djokovic knew that if he played the same against his highest-ranked opponent so far, Etcheverry, he could have possibly lost the match and exited the tournament in the third round.
The Argentinian previously bested two experienced players, Andy Murray and Gael Monfils, without losing a set, so he was certainly capable of producing level needed to overcome the 24-time Grand Slam champion, who wouldn't be at his best.
Although it would be a reach to say that Djokovic played his best tennis, it was certainly his best performance at this year's tournament so far, not just because he won in straight sets, but also because of how he played.
In the opening set of the match, the Serbian got an early break, and never faced break points himself, easily winning the set 6-3, starting the match with number 6 on the right side of the scoreline.
The 36-year-old kept the same dominance on his serve also in the second set, never facing a break point, and this time around, he even broke Etcheverry's serve twice to win the set 6-3 again.
The third set was the best from the Argentinian player. He didn't face any break points, and even though he didn't have any either, it was enough for him to take the set into a tie-break, and anything can happen in that one.
Yet, Djokovic's experience prevailed as he was able to win the tie-break 7-2, and the match 6-3, 6-3, 7-6(2) to reach the fourth round of the 2024 Australian Open. Up next, he'll await the winner of the match between Adrian Mannarino and Ben Shelton, who has some history with.
Novak Djokovic vs Tomas Martin Etcheverry Match Stats:
| Novak Djokovic | Tomas Martin Etcheverry | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Aces | 12 |
| 0 | Double Faults | 1 |
| 68% | First Serve % | 72% |
| 86% (49/57) | Points Won After First Serve % | 70% (50/71) |
| 59% (16/27) | Points Won After Second Serve % | 36% (10/28) |
| 43% (3/7) | Break Point Conversion | 0% (0/0) |
| 32 | Winners | 21 |
| 35 | Unforced Errors | 29 |
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