Djokovic, Federer Cruise At Australian Open, Dimitrov Gags; Nadal Resumes Quest For 20

by Staff | January 22nd, 2020, 8:11 am
  • 5 Comments

The top men had another easy day at a windy Australian Open day 3. Novak Djokovic showed dominant form crushing Tatsuma Ito 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in just 95 minutes.

”He was playing pretty aggressive and flat, with not too many unforced errors in the second set. I just managed to somehow find my way,” Djokovic told the crowd. “From my side, my serve helped me a lot to get out of trouble.

”I knew shots would come quick and flat, so I had to be quite low, put some variety on the shots, spins, slices, and come to the net on occasion. It worked well.”

Djokovic has now won his last nine matches in Melbourne and is 8-0 in singles this year. Up next will be another Japanese player Yoshihito Nishioka who upset Dan Evans 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

“I’m playing all the Japanese players in the field,” Djokovic said looking ahead. “He’s very quick, probably one of the quickest players we have on the Tour. You know what his strengths are, what his weaknesses are, so hopefully I can execute the game plan.”

Roger Federer flew by a fatigued Filip Krajinovic in the evening 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 in 93 minutes, two shorter than Novak’s win.

“I’m very to happy, it’s a great start to the season, felling very relaxed on the court,” Federer said to the crowd.

Federer now meets John Millman in a rematch of the Australian’s big US Open upset win in 2018.

Earlier, Grigor Dimitrov couldn’t finish off his first career 0-2 comeback on Tommy Paul. Dimitrov came from 0-2 down to lead the 22-year-old American serving 5-4, 30-0 when the Bulgarian completely fell apart. Paul played smart, shrugged off some physical issues and forced the tight Dimitrov into a slew of errors to win the match of his career 6-4, 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-7(3), 7-6(3) in 4 hours, 19 minutes.

“I’ve never been a part of something like that, honestly. A lot of fun playing in front of all you guys. Towards the end of the fifth, it was you guys who got me through it,” Paul said to the crowd.

Paul next will face Marton Fucsovics who eased past promising 18-year-old Jannik Sinner in straights.

Sinner’s countryman Matteo Berrettini suffered the same fate as Dimitrov. The big Italian fell behind former quarterfinalist Tennys Sandgren by two sets only to rally but fall just short and lose in five 7-6(7), 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 7-5.

Another final set breaker was played as 2018 finalist Marin Cilic outlasted Benoit Paire 6-2, 6-7(6), 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(3).

Milos Raonic has his serve humming. The former Australian semifinalist has taken advantage of a good draw and as held all 26 service games after thumping Cristian Garin.

Stefanos Tsitsipas didn’t have to hit a ball as Philipp Kohlschreiber withdrew with an ab strain.

Diego Schwartzman, Guido Pella and Roberto Bautista Agut were also winners while Fabio Fognini was locked in a 5-set war with Jordan Thompson.

On tap Thursday, Rafael Nadal is back along with Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, Stan Wawrinka and Nick Kyrgios who meets Gilles Simon.


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5 Comments for Djokovic, Federer Cruise At Australian Open, Dimitrov Gags; Nadal Resumes Quest For 20

j-kath Says:

Grigor Dimi – goodness gracious – he has failed to demonstrate his earlier huge potential.


chofer Says:

Have you seen the attire Grigor was earing? OMG My eyes are hurting!!
The problem with Grigor it’s that he has the tennis IQ of a junior, still. He certainly knows how to hit the ball, he just desn’t know how strategy is. At all.

He’s the tennis version of Zoolander.

You can lol at Kyrgios all you want. At least, he ACTS like a child. Grigor plays like one.

The baby Federer moniker should put more emphasis in baby.


chofer Says:

On the contrary, the tennis IQ of Daniil Medveded is astonishing (by his age group standards, anyway)
I’ve heard years and years of “tennis people” compare anyone promising as the “next Miloslav Mecir”. Including the Brit press about a young Andy Murray (untrue, since he’s always been more like an updated version of Mats Wilander to me)

The Russian, instead, is capable of making you play like shit and HE KNOWS HOW and WHY. If the speed was slower and the balls heavier, he wouldn’t even seem to contort himself on the forehand side. Hence, he would looked more elegant and balanced than he really is. He’s the closest thing I’ve seento the genius former top 10 Czech.

Mecir looked too tall to move like that. So is Medvedev. He anticipates so well he makes fellow genner Zverev look like another mindless ball-basher who depends on what side of the bed he woke upon a given day to play his best.

The USOpen final should have been an alert: he was outfoxing the fox himself until he didn’t. I saw that match entirely recently and I was like, wow, this kids thinks really hard! It was like a chess match that one.


Wog Boy Says:

It’s Nike outfit, as ugly as usual, it’s not only Grigor, more players are using same outfit or similar.


chofer Says:

Of course! The bad tasted is patented by Nike.

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