"It was brutal wasn't it?": Tim Henman and Nick Kyrgios left in awe at Novak Djokovic display, call him 'the clear favourite' for Australian Open
ATPMonday, 22 January 2024 at 09:30
Former Britain number one Tim Henman and Australia’s tennis
star Nick Kyrgios were left in awe at the display of the Serbian legendary
tennis star Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open.
The first Grand Slam of the year is moving towards its
business end as players are now edging closer to getting the ultimate prize.
Djokovic was phenomenal in his fourth-round tie where he registered
a thumping win against France’s Adrian Mannarino with a score of 6-0, 6-0, 6-3.
That performance left both Henman and Kyrgios in awe and
they now believe that the 36-year-old is now the clear favourite to lift the title
for the record 11th time in Melbourne.
“It was brutal, wasn’t it?,” said Henman. “The first game,
Mannarino had a couple of opportunities, and then 13 games later he’s sitting
down having lost all 13 so that’s a rough day at the office. “He’s been playing
well, beat Ben Shelton in the previous round, but it just goes to show the gulf
in class of Djokovic at the top of the game.”
“I mean, look, I haven’t given my ‘best effort’ at times,
but with my serve it allows me to get into games pretty easy," said Kyrgios.
"Mannarino didn’t play that bad at all, he’s obviously played some pretty
gruelling five-set matches, he’s nearly 36 years old, he’s probably really
tired and goes up against the greatest test in men's tennis.
“Look, I think all the questions have been answered with
Novak. The first couple of rounds he’s been struggling, now he’s beaten players
like Mannarino... I think Novak for me is now the clear favourite for the AO.”
Djokovic, who is often regarded as the greatest player in
the history of men’s singles tennis having won 24 Grand Slam titles, is now set
to face America’s Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinal of the Australian Open on
Tuesday.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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