If Rafael Nadal is the matador and Roger Federer was the artist, Novak Djokovic is the mathematician, the master of geometry, always looking for precise answers, forever calculating the most logical path to victory.
Djokovic has likened the hamstring injury with which he has been contending at the Australian Open to a rollercoaster, one that starts smoothly, dips suddenly and unexpectedly, then proceeds in peaks and troughs according to how long the painkillers last. Yet it is hardly the first grand slam puzzle he has faced, and the Serb has alighted on a simple but characteristically efficient solution: prolong the trouble-free period for as long as possible.
Against Alex De Minaur, the Australian 22nd seed, that entailed taking the ball on the rise, abbreviating the points with powerful and precise ball-striking, and serving with regal authority to claim an emphatic victory in a shade over two hours. It was barely enough time for Djokovic’s hamstring even to register that he was in a fight – although to call it such would be a stretch.
This was a statement performance from the nine-time champion, who showed no sign of injury beyond the heavy strapping on his left leg as he sealed a 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 win to move into his 54th grand slam quarter-final.
“Definitely the best tennis I’ve played this year, this tournament, so far this season,” said Djokovic, who has received exhaustive treatment on his hamstring. “I’m really glad to manage to win the way I did tonight, to feel really great in terms of mobility and movement of my leg.
“I didn’t feel any pain. I moved as well as I have the whole tournament. It means we are progressing in the right direction.
“A week ago, I didn’t really think about the title, I just thought about being in a good enough condition to play the next match. Tonight, the way I played, the way I felt, gives me reason now to believe that I can go all the way.”
It was hard to disagree with that assessment. Djokovic remains the clear title favourite and Andrey Rublev, the fifth seed, no doubt spoke for most of his peers when he said during an on-court interview: “No one wants to face Novak. I prefer to be in any other part of the draw, but not Novak.”
Much to his mortification, Rublev was then reminded that Djokovic, who had not yet played, would later face an Aussie. “Sorry, sorry,” he replied, much to the amusement of the locals. Given that he will meet Djokovic next, the joke may yet be on the apologetic Russian.
For his part, De Minaur had little enough to laugh about. Yet, willed on by a raucous home crowd – sections of which once again tried to heckle and harass Djokovic – the 23-year-old hardly played badly. A model of focus and professionalism from the first ball to the last, he never stopped fighting, doggedly disregarding the scoreline and even willingly extending the agony as he saved a match point in the penultimate game.
It was all to no avail. De Minaur is a fine player, as he demonstrated with his recent United Cup win over Rafael Nadal, but his greatest asset is his speed – and even that was of little benefit on a night when he was repeatedly rushed by the velocity and accuracy of Djokovic’s groundstrokes. With the former world No 1 in imperious mood, the absence of a big shot fatally undermined the Australian’s challenge. De Minaur’s tally of just nine winners to his opponent’s 26 told its own story.
“I think what I experienced today was probably Novak very close to his best,” said De Minaur. “To me, if that’s the level, I think he’s definitely the guy that’s going to take the title.
“You tell me how you thought he looked out there. Playing him, I thought he was moving pretty well.
“Everyone’s seen what’s been happening over the couple weeks. It’s the only thing everyone’s been talking about. Today I was out there on court against him. Either I’m not a good enough tennis player to expose that, or… it looked good to me.
Asked afterwards by Jim Courier how he had been able to win so convincingly, Djokovic offered an ominous reply.
“Because I wanted to,” he intoned impassively, as though he were tennis’s answer to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator. “I cannot say I’m sorry that you haven’t watched a longer match. I really wanted to win in straight sets.”
Rublev doubtless felt the same. The Russian was instead forced to toil long and hard by Denmark’s Holger Rune, saving two match points as he clawed his way back from 5-2 down in the fifth set and 5-0 down in the climactic tiebreak before finally prevailing 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (11-9) – via a net cord winner on match point.
“It’s probably the luckiest moment of my life,” said Rublev. “Now I can go to the casino. If I put [money on], for sure I’m going to win.”
Ben Shelton came through a battle of former US college players, the 20-year-old world No 89 edging a 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 decision against JJ Wolf. Shelton, playing only his second grand slam and competing outside the US for the first time, will play another American in the last eight after Tommy Paul defeated Roberto Bautista Agut, the Spanish 24th seed, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5. Neither man has previously contested a major quarter-final.
“It’s every person’s dream when they start playing tennis to play the big matches at the slams,” said the unseeded Paul, aged 25 and ranked 35th. “I’m really excited to get out there on Wednesday. We know there’s going to be an American in the semis, so I’m really excited about that, too.”
For Djokovic, meanwhile, it is too early to think about excitement. We know what he has come for, and it is not a place in the last eight. He is the only grand slam champion remaining in the draw, and a 10th title at Melbourne Park would haul him level with Nadal on 22 majors. With his injury concerns dissipating, for the time being at least, the gateway to glory is ajar. No one knows better how to prise it open.