By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday January 21, 2023
The nine-time champion had some worrying moments but ultimately prevailed in three sets to reach the round of 16 in Melbourne.
Photo Source: Getty
It’s no secret that Novak Djokovic is fighting against more than his opponents at this year’s Australian Open.
Hampered by a well-documented nagging left hamstring injury, the 21-time major champion is trying to quell the pain and manage his injury so that he may peak in the second week, when the contests get more grueling as the stakes go higher.
So far, so good.
Djokovic weathered a very tricky encounter with familiar foe Grigor Dimitrov on Saturday night in Rod Laver Arena, saving three set points in the opening set before waltzing away with a 7-6(7), 6-4, 6-3 triumph to book a fourth-round clash with Australia’s Alex de Minaur.
"Very close first set. I think I started the match really well, feeling good," Djokovic said. "Kind of went up and down feeling physically with my leg.
"Just found a way, I guess, to win in such an exciting match, big battle, over three hours for three sets. If I lost one of these sets, we could have gone really the distance. God knows how long. We already had some matches over five hours during this tournament. This looked to be another one.
"I'm just really very fortunate to get through in straight sets."
The victory, his 10th in 11 tilts with Dimitrov, was far from routine.
Visibly hampered by the heavily taped hamstring, Djokovic pulled up gingerly on several points in the opening set out of caution. At other times, when he pushed himself to sprint for balls, he stumbled weirdly to protect the injury.
It may have heightened concern in his coaching box, but didn’t seem to fluster Djokovic, who was able to handle the pressure points brilliantly. Once he broke free in the opening set he hit his stride and seemed to loosen up as he took control of the contest.
Afterward, Djokovic said an assortment of treatments have helped him manage the hamstring issue. Though he's grown stronger as each of his three tournament matches has progressed, Djokovic said leg pain fluctuates over the course of a match.
"Pills kick in, some hot cream and stuff. That works for a little bit, then it doesn't, then works again," Djokovic said. "It's really a roller coaster, honestly.
"It requires a lot of energy that is being spent from my side mentally and physically, as well, to deal with the match with my opponent and also with not ideal physical state.
"But it is what it is. It's kind of a circumstances that you have to accept. I'm just very grateful that I'm actually able to play. The way it looked just before the tournament started, I thought that it wouldn't be possible."
Perhaps ruing the loss of a very winnable opening set, Dimitrov was never really in the match in sets two and three and in the end Djokovic had accomplished his mission to perfection.
He made it through another round and didn’t seem to exacerbate the injury any further.
He remains unbeaten at the Australian Open since 2018, and stretches his winning streak in Melbourne Park to 25 – one shy of the all-time record which is held by Andre Agassi.
He also increases his winning streak to 37 on Australian soil.
Djokovic was given a hero’s welcome in the court he has made his personal proving ground since 2008 when he won his first of nine Australian Open titles. And, fittingly, he received a hero’s sendoff in Rod Laver Arena, the decidedly pro-Serbian crowd feeling his pain, living his joy, and relishing in another hard-fought victory.
He’s clearly not out of the woods yet, with the injury concern still lingering, but his victory gave Djokovic a moment of repose and a well-deserved moment to smile and appreciate the moment, and the support he was given.