"I found my rhythm": Ominous signs from Novak Djokovic after easing past Etcheverry at Australian Open
ATPFriday, 19 January 2024 at 13:54
Novak Djokovic put the rest of the field on notice at the 2024 Australian Open in taking down Tomas Martin Etcheverry with ease 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 compared to his first clashes where he floundered at times against Dino Prizmic and Alexei Popyrin.
Djokovic spoke to Eurosport after his win with Adrian Mannarino next instead of the phone reunion between the 24-time Grand Slam champion and Ben Shelton. But for Djokovic, he said that he was pleased to bring some of the form that was deserting him while ultimately still something being left in the tank. He puts it down to continued work on the practice court which he will hope to take into his next match with his fellow veteran who has had five hour matches basically all tournament so far.
"I really think that I played my best tennis so far in the tournament," Djokovic told Eurosport's Barbara Schett. "Obviously still finding my groove, but this was much better than the first two rounds. "Etcheverry is in form, he won quite comfortably against two great players - Andy Murray and Gael Monfils - in straight sets, I watched him play.
"I do have a positive score with him but I obviously didn’t maybe play my best tennis coming into the match but tonight I found my rhythm and I’m really pleased with the performance."
"I always demand the highest of myself, so I can always play better," Djokovic continued. "But I've also got to see things in a positive way, this is a higher level than it was in the first two rounds. I did wake up well today, I thought I've done everything I possibly can.
"[On the] practice court yesterday also we worked on a few things, so I’m really glad it is working out so far, let’s see in the next round."
"I always demand the highest of myself, so I can always play better," Djokovic continued. "But I've also got to see things in a positive way, this is a higher level than it was in the first two rounds. I did wake up well today, I thought I've done everything I possibly can.
"[On the] practice court yesterday also we worked on a few things, so I’m really glad it is working out so far, let’s see in the next round."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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