Novak Djokovic is always good at proving that talent is temporal and class is permanent. He proved that at the Australian Open after defeating Tomas Machac in a straight sets despite struggling with physical problems for almost the entirety of the match. The victory advances him to the fourth round in Melbourne for the 17th time.

Going into the Australian Open, there were worries that Djokovic would struggle against young players and might not be able to reach the second week in Melbourne just like he did at the 2024 US Open. The Serbian has crushed those doubts with emphatic performances on the court. He began by defeating Nishesh Basavareddy in four sets in the opening match.

He then defeated Jaime Faria in the second round. Against Machac, he was at his best dominating the first set before calling for the physio in the second set after a physical challenge. However, he was able to produce an assured level of tennis on the court by beating the Czech Republic star 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.

During his on-court interview, a fan shouted “I love you” to him and Djokovic gave a hilarious response that sent the Rod Laver crowd into laughter.

In the fourth round, Djokovic will face Jiri Lehecka, who earlier powered past Benjamin Bonzi 6-2, 6-3, 6-3. The 37-year-old is bidding to win his 25th Grand Slam and 100th tour-level title at the Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic‘s statement victory over Tomas Machac makes it the 66th time in his 77th appearance at a Grand Slam event that he will be reaching the fourth round. He also becomes the second man to reach the Round of 16 of the Australian Open. Additionally, he has improved his Melbourne win-loss record to 97-9.

After the match, Djokovic was excited at his performance and the manner in which the match ended in straight sets. He revealed that it was the best match of the tournament.

Djokovic is now considered a favorite to win the Australian Open after a much-improved performance against Machac. But ultimately, his main test will come against Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.