Novak Djokovic advanced to the third round of Australian Open with a win over Alexei Popyrin. Despite going down in the second set, Djokovic came back strongly to secure the game in a comfortable fashion. After the game, the champ went on to claim that he needs to go the extra gear to go deeper into the tournament as he has not been playing his best
In back to back games, Djokovic started well. But he has fallen victim to the second set on consecutive games. He has gone on to praise Alexei Popyrin and Dino Prizmic as quality players.
On being questioned whether he needs to find the extra gear to reach the finishing line, Novak Djokovic asserted the same. He said he is hopeful to go deeper into the tournament.
“I sincerely hope so. That’s what it’s gonna take for me to go deep in the tournament. I haven’t been playing my best. Still trying to find my form. As you said, in the early rounds you play players that have nothing to lose. They come out on center court trying to play their best tennis. I think both my first & second round opponents were great quality tennis players. Hopefully I’ll be able to build as the tournament progresses,” Novak Djokovic said after the match.
During the game, a heckler made some insensitive comments to the Serbian star who immediately got infuriated. However, after the game, he said, “I was tolerating it for most of the match. At one point I had enough, & I asked him whether he wants to come down & tell it to my face.”
Novak Djokovic dispatches Popyrin
The Serbian started the game comfortably with a 6-2 set win. But it was the Popyrin who took the second set with a hard fought win 7-6 (7-5). But Djokovic came back strongly. He won the third set with relative ease – 6-3. Though Popyrin decided to make a come back, he was no match to the Serbian who won the set 6-4 to seal the game in his favour.
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