It was survive and advance for Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open on Friday night.
Just how long his survival lasts is something that is in serious doubt.
Djokovic sustained an apparent abdominal injury during the third set of his third-round match against Taylor Fritz, but he managed to battle through it for a 7-6(1), 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2 victory after three hours and 25 minutes. Although the world No. 1 looked down and out throughout the third and fourth sets, in typical Djokovic fashion he came up with the physical and mental goods when it mattered most.
“I just tried to stay in there,” Djokovic explained. “I was hopeful that whatever is happening there is going to feel better and towards the end of the fourth it started to feel better. In third and fourth sets I just served and couldn’t do much on the return. I was just going for my shots. I was hitting two first serves, and it worked. It worked well.
“This is definitely one of the most special wins in my life; doesn’t matter what round it is and against who it is. Under these kind of circumstances, to pull this through is definitely something I’ll remember forever.”
Nobody outside of the players’ boxes will remember being there for the end–because they weren’t. Earlier in the day, the state of Victoria (which includes Melbourne) announced a five-day lockdown because of coronavirus concerns. It went into effect at midnight on Friday and therefore fans were forced to exit Rod Laver Arena at 11:30 pm local time early in the fifth set.
“To be completely honest, it’s absolutely ridiculous that at a Grand Slam match we’re asked to leave the court for 10 minutes in the middle of the match,” Fritz said of the stoppage caused by ushering the fans out. “That shouldn’t be a thing at a Grand Slam. You know, I understand the fact that Victoria is going back into lockdown and people have to go. If that’s the case, then we shouldn’t have played tonight if we weren’t going to finish the match on time.
“I guess not having fans there did I feel like hurt me because they were kind of pushing for me…. It’s not like it made that big of a deal. I just think it’s not really proper conditions to be playing a third round of a slam.”
For many fans, though, they were able to see their favorite Australian player on their favorite court before the curfew came down on Melbourne.
Once again playing in John Cain Arena, Nick Kyrgios put on another five-set show. Whereas he was able to prevail over Ugo Humbert two days earlier, however, Kyrgios could not consolidate a two-set lead against 2020 U.S. Open champion and Australian Open runner-up Dominic Thiem.
Thiem clawed his way back to triumph 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in three hours and 21 minutes.
Next up for Thiem is Grigor Dimitrov, who got a retirement from Pablo Carreno Busta. If Djokovic is able to take the court for fourth-round action, he will run into Milos Raonic on Sunday.
thoughts?
I think Joker will be just fine….but Raonic pretty tough these days….so Joker in 4. Thiem also in 4.
Talented young athletes are brought up to believe the world revolves around them. I suppose it’s unreasonable to expect them to behave any differently. Well, and then there’s Rafa but from what I’ve read I guess his entire family made a concerted effort to assure him that he’s not “special”.
I can’t see Nole losing this R4 match.
If he’s injured then he can withdraw, that’s the only way I see Milos reaching the quarters.
exactly
Any news yet on novak ? Has he not got scan results yet ? He’s on schedule though tomm
If he’s going to withdraw, it will be at the last minute. I have no doubt that he thinks if he believes enough, that he can will away a torn abdominal muscle and heal in a day and a half.
Of course, if that’s what it actually was, there is no chance he’ll be able to play. And if it wasn’t and he can play, Raonic has no chance.
He didn’t practice today just like rafa did not yesterday..rafa said yest he got just back treatment ( looks like infiltration ) ..however no news yet on what novak did today except visiting doctor
Cheryl..btw you are not predicting any rafa match ? How do u rate him so far ..do you see him going till sf or he loses before that ?
Hi Sanju. I actually did the prediction for the Norrie match. Pre-tournmanent, I had Nadal in the semi-finals. I haven’t seen anything that changes my mind on that. I think he’ll squeak past Tsitsipas and get nipped by either Rublev or Meddy in the semis.
Medvedev looks a possibility but rublev on big stage ? I doubt. Tsitsipas has better chance than rublev I think , isn’t it ?
Berretini tsitsi can be very long too but looks like berretini had an abdominal pull today too
Is Pepe Imaz back or what? 🙂 Djokovic healing by the power of thought. Can work for imaginary injuries, I guess.
So either Novak was always just fine and he can play (most likely) or he will find out the hard way that a torn muscle needs weeks to heal. But I doubt that he could have won the last game with a torn muscle. Rafa made it pretty clear that he doesn’t buy it.
In any case he put himself in a losing position. He will either lose today’s match or he will lose even more of the ever thinning respect that (some) people have for him as a person.
How can you believe and heal away a torn muscle in 2 days .not possible..it takes minimum 4 weeks if it’s a tear
He believes some very strange things, Sanju. And yes, he’ll need a month at least.
Djoko made enough of a recovery to win that fifth set , so it mightnt be that bad ,but he’s never going to defend his title.
The betting odds suddenly have Medvedev at top n thiem second. Djoko n rafa are 3 n 4
Does anyone still believe his drama crap? He moved so well and hit lots of shots good in fifth set against Fritz.
Exactly , playing dead is an old trick.
You guys are hilarious. Why does he need to fake an injury against a guy who he 2 sets to love up.. lack of logic (lol)
I reiterate what I have said many times. With a muscle tear you cannot move the affected area. For days, weeks and sometimes more.
But, Don take my word for it, just look it up.
Impressive win against raonic. Only legend can pull off from abdominal tear injury
Either that or the ab injury is just a legend😀
There maybe a niggle and not denying it but it wasn’t an ab tear..stop this bullshit faking. Why do u need to do this if you a no 1..tat ranking comes with some decorum…no one can move this way with a tear…it’s at best a pull …the drama will continue now till final
2 days back he says he’s sure it’s a tear n today he says he has done a mri n knows what it is but does not want to tell it ..like seriously ?
Novak does this all the time. No surprise. Bottom line is he is still playing, it’s not an abdominal rear.
Novak does this all the time. No surprise. Bottom line is he is still playing, it’s not an abdominal rear.
Abdominal TEAR!
the question now is will Zverev stop Novak?