Novak Djokovic sailed past Croatia’s Borna Gojo in a straight-set victory on Sunday, securing his spot in the US Open quarter-finals.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion demonstrated his class by defeating the world No. 105 Gojo with a score of 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 in a match that lasted 2 hours and 26 minutes on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.
Djokovic is now set to face American ninth seed Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals on Tuesday, as he continues his quest for a record-extending 24th Grand Slam title. In the third round, the 36-year-old Serbian star faced a tough challenge when he had to recover from a two-set deficit to defeat compatriot Laslo Djere in five sets.
However, Djokovic appeared to be in complete control against Gojo, who managed to earn just one break point throughout the match.
Djokovic’s precision was evident as he made only 12 unforced errors in contrast to Gojo’s 40. He broke his opponent five times on his way to a commanding victory.
Reflecting on his performance, Djokovic acknowledged Gojo’s formidable skills, stating, “I knew that Borna has a big game… he’s a big shot player, serve and forehand, big weapons, and moves pretty well for a big guy.” Djokovic’s strategy was to neutralize Gojo’s serve, a tactic that worked well for him.
Looking ahead to his clash with Fritz in the quarter-finals, Djokovic praised the American’s recent form and the success of American men at this year’s US Open.
Fritz is one of three American men to reach the quarter-finals, along with Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton, marking the first time since 2005 that three Americans have achieved this feat at the US Open.
Djokovic, who has won all seven of his previous encounters with Fritz, anticipates tougher matches in the latter stages of the tournament and expressed his readiness for the challenges ahead. “It’s going to be great,” he added.
Source: AFP
