(Tennis news) To advance to the quarterfinals, Djokovic defeated Taylor Fritz by defeating Alexandre Muller, Bernabe Zapara Mirrales, Laslo Djere, and Borna Gojo. For the Serb, who dropped just one game in the first set, it was a piece of cake.
The second set was won by Djokovic as well thanks to a single break of service. He got out to the better start in the third set, leading 4-3 before Fritz broke back to tie the match. In the following game, the 36-year-old served out the match to win 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 after securing another break to take the lead at 5-4.
To advance to the round of eight, where Frances Tiafoe was waiting for him, Shelton defeated Pedro Cachin, Dominic Thiem, Aslan Karatsev, and Tommy Paul. After trailing 2-1 in the opening set, the 20-year-old played five games in a row to win it.
In order to tie the match, Tiafoe won the second set. Both players had six serve breaks between them in the third set as they struggled to hold their serves. In the end, the set was decided by a tie-break, which Shelton eventually won after bouncing back from a few missed set points.
By snagging a service break to begin the fourth, Shelton. He didn’t lose his cool, and he broke his opponent’s serve once more to win the match 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2.
Head-to-Head
The head-to-head record between them is now 0-0 because this will be their first encounter.
Predictions
Even though Djokovic’s performance was significantly below par, it was still sufficient for him to defeat Fritz in a single set. Although he won 68% of the time on his first serve, the five double faults were more than he usually commits. The Serb made 25 strokes in wins, and he made nearly as many unforced errors.
Shelton delivered a brave performance to oust Tiafoe. He had 34 unforced errors compared to 50 wins. Now, the talented American has advanced to his first Grand Slam semifinal.
In the meantime, Djokovic’s victory saw him advance to this round for the 47th time overall, breaking Roger Federer’s previous record. Despite Shelton’s reputation for having a flamboyant style, it might be difficult for him to break past the Serb’s defences.
Even on the most crucial points, Shelton doesn’t hesitate to throw down his serve or groundstrokes. Although it is a two-edged blade, thus far his plan has been successful.
Both leading and playing defensively are natural stances for Djokovic. One of the best players to ever play the game, he excels due to his flexibility. The odds are heavily in favour of the Serb despite Shelton being the underdog and being free from expectations in this contest.
Novak Djokovic to win in 5 sets.
