Novak Djokovic has advanced to the third round of the Australian Open. The world number 1 struggled against home favourite Alexei Popyrin but eventually won 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3 in just over three hours and 10 minutes of play.
The defending champion from Serbia, who initially needed more than four hours to overcome the resistance of 18-year-old Croatian Dino Prizmic, also in four sets, took the opening set after a single break, which came in the eighth game. However, Popyrin showed determination in the second set when he got to a 4-1 lead. Djokovic broke back in the ninth game, but lost immediately his own serve which levelled the score.
In the third, the world number 43 continued to make Joker's life difficult, missing four set points at 5-4. The 10-time champion survived to claim a 7-4 tiebreak victory to take the set. In the fourth, Popyrin had no more resistance and Djokovic continued his difficult but successful defense of his Australian Open title.
The Serbian finished with 11 aces and no double faults, winning 82% of first serve points. He finished with fewer winners - 31 to Popyrin's 52, but also significantly fewer unforced errors - 32 to 58. Djokovic is in the third round, where he will play 30th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry. The Argentine, who eliminated Andy Murray at the start, did not lose a set against the French veteran Gael Monfils.
Andrey Rublev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, seeded at No.5 and No.7 respectively, also won their matches against Christopher Eubanks and Jordan Thompson, with the Greek having more trouble and crushing his Australian opponent in four sets. Out of the race, however, is the 17th seeded Frances Tiafoe, who lost to Czech Tomas Machac in straight sets. /BGNES
