Australian Open | Novak Djokovic wins with pain

The Canadian Press

His opponent was not so sure the American Taylor Fritz. He believes Djokovic will return on Sunday to continue his quest for a ninth title and 18 in Melbourne.^E Of the Grand Slam.

“If he could play like he played in the fifth inning, I don’t know why he didn’t play,” Fritz said. He beats anyone. ”

Favorite Djokovic resisted Fritz’s return attempt and advanced to the fourth round of the game on Sunday with a 7-6 (1), 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2 victory over Canadian Milos Rounik.

However, in a court interview, Djokovic controlled his expectations. And he is a pessimist.

“I know it’s a tear in the muscle. So I do not know if I can overcome it in two days. I do not know. I do not know if I can show it on the court,” said Djokovic, who will face Milos Ronik of Canada, a 2016 Wimbledon finalist, for a place in the quarter – finals.

“I am so proud of this feat tonight,” he said, referring to the success despite his injury. Let’s see what happens. ”

The match began with spectators at stands in the Rod Laver Arena, but they had to leave the stadium after 11:30 pm as a lockdown was imposed after the midnight coronavirus outbreak began. No spectator is allowed to attend the tournament for at least five days.

Djokovic appeared on the way to 17^E Consecutive victory over an American opponent after winning the first two sets.

His left foot fell under him as he tried to change direction at the start of the third set. Djokovic took a medical break for abdominal treatment and was visited by a trainer during the changes.

Fritz, 27^E Seeded, returned to the match, but Djokovic’s condition seemed to improve.

Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, lone player to win more Grand Slam trophies than N in the men’s table^The 2, complained of back pain from last week. Nadal quest for his 21 runs^E The men’s record-breaking major title continues with Cameron Norie in the third round on Saturday.

Other headlines in action on Saturday included Daniel Medvedev, n^The 4, Stefanos Citsipas, n^The 5, Andrei Rublev, n^The 7, and Matteo Berettini, n^The 9.

The theme gets out of trouble

Eighth-seeded Diego Schwartzman of Argentina remains the top-ranked player in the elimination table, losing 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, 114th-ranked Russian Aslan Karatsev^E At the world and his Grand Slam debut at 27.

The Austrian Dominic Theme, winner of the US Open in September, got really embarrassed in front of an audience that sounded like Australian Nick Kyrgios. But he came back from a two-inning deficit and won 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. He now has a fourth round appointment with Gregor Dimitrov, who reached the knockout stage when Pablo Carreno Busta retired after losing the first seven games.

Karatsev and his first qualifier, who reached the fourth round at Melbourne Park after Rounik 10 years ago, will face Kubaker Felix Agar-Aliasim, 20.^E Headlining.

In another match, Alexander Zverev, a finalist at the US Open in 2020 last year, won in three sets and will now face Dusan Lazovic.