Only something ‘miraculous’ can stop Djokovic in Melbourne — Laver

Swiatek at a loss to understand Australian Open exit

MELBOURNE — Novak Djokovic has already been pushed to four sets in two of his early matches at Melbourne Park but Australian great Rod Laver says engravers should get to work putting the world number one’s name on the Grand Slam trophy for an 11th time.

Mr. Djokovic is eyeing a record-extending Melbourne Park title that will also take him past Margaret Court’s haul of 24 majors but the Serb has not had it all his own way and was pushed hard by teenager Dino Prizmic and local hope Alexei Popyrin.

Mr. Laver, the only player to win the calendar Grand Slam twice, is still convinced Mr. Djokovic will glide past challengers after the 36-year-old downed Tomas Martin Etcheverry to set up a fourth round meeting with Adrian Mannarino.

“It’s almost like he’s priming himself to get through to the final,” 11-times Grand Slam winner Mr. Laver said on Saturday after arriving in Melbourne from California.

“He’ll lose a set somewhere in these five-setters and I’m thinking, ‘Is he having us on?’ because he could win this in two and two and two (6-2 6-2 6-2).”

Mr. Djokovic claimed last year’s title despite playing with a small tear in his hamstring and 85-year-old Mr. Laver, who has the center court at the Australian Open named in his honor, said it would take something extraordinary to dethrone him.

“He’s such a great athlete to begin with, but his mind also is tennis and so he sees it almost unfold in front of him, just what he should be doing,” said Mr. Laver.

“That’s how he’s being a great champion.

“He serves well, his groundstrokes are unbeatable, so I have to believe, unless someone miraculously plays their best tennis to knock him off they can start putting part of his initials on the trophy now.”

SWIATEK

The Australian Open had its biggest shock to date when teenager Linda Noskova knocked world number one Iga Swiatek out of the competition in the third round on Saturday, and the Polish top seed was at a loss to explain how she felt.

Ms. Swiatek began strongly, winning the opening set 6-3, but after losing the second by the same score, the decider saw Czech 19-year-old Noskova break serve twice to win 6-4.

When asked to articulate her feelings so people could understand how she felt, Ms. Swiatek hit back with a question of her own. “Why do you need to understand?” Ms. Swiatek asked.

“Sometimes I don’t even understand, so I don’t know if you will. I mean, I really wasn’t expecting a lot. I just tried to do the best kind of work possible.

“I felt today that, OK, I wasn’t playing my best game, and I had many things that didn’t work in previous rounds.”

Ms. Swiatek needed a tiebreak to win the first set in her opening match with Sofia Kenin, and on Thursday came back from two breaks down in the deciding set to overcome Danielle Collins, but insisted she wasn’t feeling the effects of those battles.

“No, physically I felt, honestly, I didn’t feel anything. So, pretty good,” Ms. Swiatek said.

“Mentally as well, I felt like actually I came back in my match against Danielle, and I could kind of start over and not expect a lot, just try to play my game.”

In the end, Ms. Noskova won three consecutive games in the final set to make it 5-3 and take control, and Ms. Swiatek regretted not seizing her own chances earlier in the match. “I think she just went all in without any pressure. She probably knew that she has nothing to lose, you know?

“Maybe I should have done that when I had break points in previous games, but I wanted to kind of be the solid version of myself.”

The Pole went out in the fourth round at last year’s tournament, but Ms. Swiatek is feeling more positive this time around about the season to come.

“Last year I felt much more off balance. I felt like the whole season may be tough just because of the start,” Ms. Swiatek said.

“Last year I felt like I was just overwhelmed with beginning the year as world number one. It kind of took me off my balance.

“This year I feel like I just want to get back to work. I know I’m going to have plenty of chances during the season to show my game.” —