PARIS: Novak Djokovic found his rhythm in the punishing heat to beat Germany’s Dominik Koepfer and reach the quarter-finals of the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, staying on track for an elusive gold.
The Serbian top seed, who crushed Rafael Nadal in the previous round, came through 7-5, 6-3 and will face world number 11 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last eight.
“I’m soaking wet, honestly. It’s a very, very humid day as it was yesterday. I just hope it rains so it cools down the temperature a bit and the air.
“But it is what it is. You have to kind of accept and embrace the conditions and it’s the same for you and your opponents so you have to try to make the best out of it.”
The 24-time Grand Slam champion broke Koepfer early but the German world number 70 returned the favor in the next game to get back on serve.
Djokovic, a three-time French Open champion on the clay courts at Roland Garros, took the first set 7-5 when Koepfer went long to concede another break.
As the sun beat down on Court Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic found his groove, surging into a 3-0 lead to take a grip on the second set, sealing the win with a minimum of fuss.
He has yet to drop a set in three rounds of tennis in Paris.
The 37-year-old, searching for his first trophy in 2024, is still wearing strapping on his right knee after undergoing an operation in June.
He was a bronze medallist on his Olympic debut in 2008 but is targeting gold in Paris to complete his staggering collection of trophies.
Djokovic beats heat to reach Olympics quarter-finals
https://arab.news/g7d55
Djokovic beats heat to reach Olympics quarter-finals
- The Serbian top seed, who crushed Rafael Nadal in the previous round, came through 7-5, 6-3
- “I’m soaking wet, honestly. It’s a very, very humid day as it was yesterday. I just hope it rains so it cools down the temperature a bit and the air,” he said
Sabalenka returns to Australian Open primed for another title tilt
- “Honestly, there’s no difference,” Sabalenka said of her mindset heading into Melbourne Park no longer in possession of the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup
BENGALURU: World number one Aryna Sabalenka enters the Australian Open in her familiar role as the hot favorite but unlike in the past two years the powerful Belarusian arrives without a title to defend or the momentum of a winning run in Melbourne.
The twice champion’s 20-match winning streak at the season’s opening major was snapped in the title clash 12 months ago when American outsider Madison Keys denied her a successful defense and a rare three-peat last achieved by Martina Hingis in 1999.
Sabalenka shrugged off that disappointment as well as losing in the French Open final and Wimbledon semifinals to secure her fourth Grand Slam crown at the US Open, leaving her primed for another title tilt on the blue hardcourts Down Under.
“Honestly, there’s no difference,” Sabalenka said of her mindset heading into Melbourne Park no longer in possession of the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
“Every time, it doesn’t matter what tournament it is ... if I’m the defending champion or if I lost in the first round last year, the goal is always the same — to bring my best tennis and improve my game.
“That’s how I take it. I’m always just focusing on myself, on developing my game, and making sure I’m 100 percent there. That’s my goal and focus every time.”
Sabalenka’s serve infamously hampered her in Australia four years ago but her refined delivery has become a crucial weapon, while her variations with drop shots and sharper tactical nous have turned her into a formidable force.
She won a tour-leading four trophies last season and made nine finals, underlining her consistency at the highest level, with a shock loss to Elena Rybakina in last year’s WTA Finals title clash bringing her campaign to an abrupt end.
That setback has only sharpened her resolve and she now returns to Melbourne looking to reach her fourth consecutive Australian Open final.
The 27-year-old will also bid to reach a seventh straight hardcourt Grand Slam final to match Hingis and Steffi Graf in the professional era that began in 1968.
“I’m always super motivated when I come to Australia,” said Sabalenka, who kicked off her season by retaining her title at the Brisbane International without giving up a set.
“I love playing here and I want to stay here as long as possible. Of course remembering last year’s (Australian Open) final, I want to do a little bit better than I did.”
