High-flying Alex de Minaur will intention to topple world No.1 Novak Djokovic for the second time this yr after the pair booked a captivating date within the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters.
While Djokovic shall be taking part in in his tenth quarter-final on the prestigious clay-court match on Friday, de Minaur would be the first Australian to play within the last-eight on the Monte Carlo Country Club for a quarter-of-a-century following his 6-3 6-4 victory over compatriot Alexei Popyrin.
It’s an intriguing conflict with de Minaur thrilled to get the possibility to earn one other victory following his triumph on the United Cup in January when he ended Djokovic’s 43-match, six-year unbeaten streak in Australia whereas the Serb was bothered by a wrist downside.
Djokovic, nonetheless in search of his first match win of the yr after reaching the semi-finals within the Australian Open, once more did not have a look at his supreme finest on Thursday however was in a position to avenge his defeat to Lorenzo Musetti in Monte Carlo in 2023 by beating the gifted Italian 7-5 6-3.
In his first match since splitting together with his coach Goran Ivanisevic, Djokovic was outplayed early on however confirmed he nonetheless has that uncanny skill of elevating his recreation when most wanted as he knuckled right down to convert 5 of his six break factors.
He was additionally, in acquainted style, spurred on by the Court Rainier III crowd giving him the chicken when he complained a few line name, sarcastically conducting them with a smile as they booed him.
“The little exchange with the crowd was the turning point. Ever since then, I started to gain momentum, I think he dropped his level and focus a little bit,” Djokovic mentioned afterwards.
“I don’t think I am still at my top level but it was a great test today against a great player, a very talented player,.”
Earlier, de Minaur’s victory on Court des Princes made him the primary Australian since Mark Philippoussis in 1999 to get this far within the prestigious clay-court occasion.
De Minaur and Popyrin had shared wins of their earlier two encounters, however the Aussie No.1 asserted himself with a superb efficiency during which he made simply three unforced errors and broke the large server’s supply 4 instances.
De Minaur’s one stumble got here as he served for the match just for world No.46 Popyrin, who had shocked the reigning champion Andrey Rublev within the earlier spherical, to display loads of defiance as he transformed his sole break level of the match.
It was to show solely a quick respite, although, as de Minaur instantly responded to earn the match-winning break and clinch a victory which seems more likely to push the world No.11 again into the highest 10 subsequent week.
Karen Khachanov additionally superior to the quarter-finals with a 6-3 7-5 win over his Russian pal and compatriot Daniil Medvedev, who for the second day operating bought concerned with a heated trade with the chair umpire over an inaccurate line name.
He’ll subsequent face Stefanos Tsitsipas, who defied a spirited second-set comeback from Olympic champ Alexander Zverev earlier than downing the German 7-5 7-6 (7-3).
Jannik Sinner continues to comb all earlier than him, the Australian Open champ beating Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4 6-2 to maneuver effortlessly into the last-eight the place he’ll meet Holger Rune, victor over Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in a decent affair 7-6 (11-9) 3-6 7-6 (7-2).
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
