Nothing was going to stop Novak Djokovic at Rod Laver Arena on Monday night.
The 35-year-old Serbian put on a nearly perfect show for the Melbourne fans to take down hometown favorite Australian Alex de Minaur 6-2, 6-1, 6-2.
"It's the best match of the year for me so far," Djokovic said after the match. "All in all, perfect match
for me."
Djokovic executed on all cylinders, gathering 26 winners to Di Minaur's 9. The nine-time Australian Open champion also earned an impressive six breaks of serve whereas his Aussie opponent didn't even face one break point.
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Since the beginning of the tournament, Djokovic has been experiencing pain in his hamstring but said he felt good today.
"Tonight, I didn't feel anything," Djokovic said. "I thank my medical team, I thank God. I don't want to celebrate too early, I know that things can change."
Djokovic is now three wins away from securing the world No. 1 ranking again and tying the record of 22 Grand Slam titles won with Rafael Nadal. He is also the only major singles champion left in the draw.
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"The way I played [today], the way I felt, gives me reason now to believe that I can go all the way," Djokovic said.
Djokovic will take on No. 5 seed Russian Andrey Rublev for a spot in the Australian Open semifinals. The match will most likely be played during the Wednesday night session at Rod Laver Arena.
