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Novak Djokovic reached his 10th semi-final at the Australia Open after a dominating quarter-final display to defeat Andrey Rublev 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 under the lights in breezy Melbourne, on Wednesday.
Djokovic was taking on the highest-ranked opponent of his Melbourne campaign so far in World No. 6 Rublev, but he took command early and barely looked back in the pair’s maiden Grand Slam meeting.
Djokovic accelerated to a comfortable two-hour, three-minute victory on Rod Laver Arena with his trademark returns to punish Rublev, as did his change of direction and countering from the baseline. And when pushed on serve, Djokovic often responded with unreturnable serves – including second-serve aces.
The performance came after Djokovic overcame Australia’s Alex de Minaur in similarly overpowering fashion in the round of 16.
“Very close to the performance of two nights ago,” Djokovic told interviewer Jim Courier on court afterward. “Cannot be happier with my tennis. Been playing very solid from the back of the court.”
Djokovic and Rublev couldn’t have made the quarterfinals in more contrasting fashion.
“Overall I think that the scoreline in the first two sets doesn’t speak the truth or the reality of the match. It was some really close games that we had. Andrey is a great opponent, a great player. I’ve got tons of respect for him, one of the biggest forehands, one of the quickest players on the Tour,” said Djokovic in his on-court interview.
“If I have to sum it up, all the important shots, the important moments I found my best tennis. So that’s what makes me the most pleased tonight,” he added.
The 35-year-old’s performance appears to have quashed any doubts surrounding his left hamstring issue, which hampered him in his first three matches at Melbourne Park.
The Serb said there were no issues with his tender left hamstring in the fourth round – and it showed. Djokovic smacked winners and smothered de Minaur, cruising in straight sets without facing a break point.
Meanwhile, Rublev saved two match points on serve at 5-6 in the fifth set and later edged Holger Rune in a fifth-set tiebreak.
When a net-cord return winner from Rublev at 10-9 sealed proceedings, one couldn’t help but ponder if this could be the fifth-seed’s time.
Djokovic won both their previous hard-court matches, but Rublev did beat the 21-time Grand Slam winner in Serbia on clay last April.
But beating Djokovic at his second home – Rod Laver Arena – loomed as a much tougher task.
Rublev’s laser-like groundstrokes figured to test Djokovic’s hamstring because of the quick bursts required to counter such strikes.
Rublev almost dropped serve in his first service game but did so in his next service game from 40-15, double-faulting long.
Djokovic broke open the set with another break, and perhaps it relaxed him a tad too much.
He faced his first two break points at 5-1. To the frustration of Rublev, two fine first serves quashed the danger. Djokovic repeated the trick early in the second when behind 15-30 and thwarted a break chance at 3-2 with yet another potent delivery.
However, Rublev earned a second opportunity, and this time benefited from a second serve with less pace. But Djokovic defended, then capped a 15-shot rally with a forehand winner and huge roar.
It was all going wrong for Rublev. He wears his heart on his sleeve and is humourous in his dealings with reporters, which make him likeable. But reasons to smile were few and far between against Djokovic.
He took out his frustration when ripping a forehand return as Djokovic opted to sprinkle in a serve and volley on a first set point at 40-15. It was one of three straight forehand winners, but Djokovic would save a break point with, predictably, a winner.
A dumped forehand volley helped Djokovic to break to start the third, and that was it.
Not practicing in days between matches is helping his leg issue, he said.
“To be honest I’ve been connected to machines more than I have been connected to anybody else or my bed or anything else in the days off,” said Djokovic. “I’ve tried about any biofeedback machine on this planet in order to get my leg ready, and it worked.
“I’m going to keep going.”
A title triumph Down Under would also see the 35-year-old return to No. 1 in the ATP Rankings for the first time since last June.
With Wednesday’s win, Djokovic not only improved his ATP Head to Head record against Rublev to 3-1, he also equalled Andre Agassi’s Open Era record of 26 consecutive Australian Open men’s singles match wins.
He moved into sole possession of third, too, on the all-time list of most men’s semifinals at the Australian Open, and now only trails Jack Crawford’s 11 and Roger Federer’s 15.
The Serbian is unbeaten at the Australian Open from the semi-finals onwards, having lifted the title on all nine occasions when he has reached the last four.
Djokovic faces maiden Grand Slam semifinalist Tommy Paul, on Friday for the first time. Paul, ranked 35th, narrowly missed a seeding; the American won his quarterfinal 7-6(6), 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 over compatriot Ben Shelton earlier on Wednesday.
“He’s been some playing some terrific tennis in the last 12 to 15 months. He’s got a great coach,” Djokovic said of Paul’s coach Brad Stine – who used to coach Courier.
“I have to be ready for that match. Not approach it any different than I have the last couple of matches. If I play this way, I think I have a good chance to go through.”
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