Novak Djokovic Overcomes Physical Struggles And Clashes With Crowd But Wins At AO
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Novak Djokovic recorded his first straight-sets win at the 2025 Australian Open, but it was far from an easy match for the Serbian player.
Djokovic started the 2025 Australian Open well. First, he beat Nishesh Basavareddy, and then he also bested Jaime Faria despite a moment when he was unhappy with the lighting in the arena.
In the third round, he took on the highest-ranked opponent so far, the 26th-seeded Tomas Machac. The Czech player has already recorded some solid wins this season, and he also beat Djokovic before, when they met in Geneva last year.
This time, however, the Serbian player was just too good for his opponent, and that was despite multiple challenges that he had to deal with throughout the match, which was played first during the night session at the Rod Laver Arena.
Djokovic was an overwhelmingly better player in the first set. He had a total of six break points, used two, and held his serve every single time, even though never easily. All of that resulted in an easy 6-1 first-set win.
But the 10-time Australian Open winner started struggling at the start of the second set. His struggles were not related only to the scoreline but also to his physical state, with the two likely linked.
Djokovic couldn't use two break points in the opening game, and then he was broken, trailing 0-2. At the same time, he appeared to struggle to catch some breath, as Machac managed to extend the rallies, which drained the 37-year-old player.
The Serbian was seen clutching his abdomen and catching for breath multiple times. He broke back to 1-2 and also called for the doctor during the changeover, as he received some pills and used an inhaler.
That seemingly helped Djokovic, as he then again dominated the remained of the second set, winning it 6-4 to lead 2-0 in the match. He then started the third set with a break, and that was all he needed.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner never faced issues on his serve, but he had issues with the crowd in Melbourne. Multiple times, some fans shouted "out" when a ball landed close to the line, distracting both players.
Djokovic voiced his displeasure with the crowd, and he also talked about the situation with the umpire. Multiple times, he dedicated a celebration to the crowd members he didn't like, with the one final celebration coming after a converted match point, as he won 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.
In the fourth round, Djokovic will play against yet another Czech player, the 24th-seeded Jiri Lehecka, who has yet to lose a match in 2025 after winning a title in Brisbane. After the match, the Serbian also spoke about his physical issues.
"He was a break up in the second set, I struggled physically there. I was trying to catch my breath. I'm not 19 anymore. You go through different stages in the match..."
