By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday January 1, 2023
Novak Djokovic battled past Jiri Lehecka at United Cup for his 43rd consecutive win on Australian soil.
Photo Source: Getty
Since the start of 2019, Novak Djokovic has owned the Australian continent like no other tennis player.
The 24-time major champion continued his domination at United Cup in Perth on Tuesday, edging 22-year-old Jiri Lehecka for his 43rd consecutive victory on Aussie soil. Djokovic, who has won his last 28 Australian Open matches, has also claimed a title in Adelaide (2023) and gone 10-0 at ATP Cup/ United Cup over three seasons.
His victory over Lehecka was more difficult than most as Djokovic struggled with a right wrist injury and dropped the middle set in a tiebreak. But the 36-year-old was quick to recover, as he won six of the final seven games to defeat Lehecka 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-1 and send Serbia and the Czech Republic to a deciding mixed doubles rubber.
Update: Olga Danilovic and Hamad Medjedovic rallied to earn a dramatic 4-6, 7-5, 10-8 win over Miriam Kolodziejova and Petr Nouza to reach the quarterfinals (Serbia will face Australia on Wednesday in Perth).
Djokovic took a medical timeout to have his wrist looked at after the second set.
10-time Australian Open champion Djokovic has not lost in Australia since falling to Hyeon Chung in the round of 16 at the Australian Open in 2018.
Earlier, Serbia's Olga Danilovic fell to Marketa Vondrousova, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, which staked the Czechs to a 1-0 lead.
Poland, Australia and Serbia have already won their Groups and qualified for the quarterfinals at United Cup. Five quarterfinal slots have still yet to be claimed.