Novak Djokovic drops just three games in double-bagel victory over ...

ByEurosport

Updated 21/01/2024 at 06:10 GMT

Novak Djokovic produced a stunning performance to beat Adrian Mannarino 6-0 6-0 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena to progress to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

The Serbian world No. 1 will face the winner of Taylor Fritz and Stefanos Tsitsipas next.

The brutal nature of the scoreboard was not a fair reflection of the flow of the match, with Mannarino posing Djokovic substantial questions throughout. However, the Serbian always had the answers.

“The first two sets [were] one of the best sets I've played in a while,” Djokovic said.

“I really wanted to lose that game in the third set because the tension was building up so much in the stadium. I just needed to get that one out of the way so I could refocus on what I need to do to close out the match.

“I played great - from the first to the last point.”

Djokovic and Mannarino had met on five previous occasions, with the Serbian having won all five. And he was soon on his way to extending that record to 6-0.

The world No. 19 Mannarino actually had two break points in the opening game of the match but having held and then broken his opponent, Djokovic ran away with the set.

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The second set followed a remarkably similar pattern. Djokovic secured the bagel but it was not all plain sailing with Mannarino – having been broken in the second game of the set – fashioning a break point of his own in a third game that saw six deuces. Djokovic held and then raced away to double his advantage.

When he held to get on the board in the second game of the third set, Mannarino received a standing ovation. He would hold again during his next two service games.

Mannarino finally gets on the board in THIRD set against dominant Djokovic

However, the French player was just delaying the inevitable and the Serbian served it out at the first time of asking, holding to love to secure his progression.

The win would see Djokovic into the 58th Grand Slam quarter-final of his career.

Djokovic with 'supreme performance' as he thrashes Mannarino

”It is never easy to play Adrian," said Djokovic on court after the match. "He is a very unorthodox player, he uses the angles really well and has got one of the flattest and most consistent backhands in the game.

“It's kind of a cat and mouse tennis match against him. So I had to physically endure the long rallies and try to run him around the court, which I did and I think I served very well.

"In the moments when I needed to come up with the first serve I did, so, all-in-all, a great performance.”

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