Novak Djokovic surpassed Jiri Lahacka in the Australian Open and now he will play the big clash against the Spanish Carlos Alcaraz.
The Serbian superstar swept away the Czech 24th seed with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) victory, keeping his sights firmly set on a record 25th Grand Slam title.
The 21-year-old Spaniard advanced earlier in the day after Britain’s Jack Draper withdrew due to a hip injury.
Alcaraz has history on his side, having beaten Djokovic in two Wimbledon finals.
But Djokovic scored a crucial victory against him last summer, winning Olympic gold, a milestone he has called his “greatest sporting achievement.”
“I felt very good,” Djokovic told Eurosport after the match. “A couple of hiccups here and there, a loose game after I broke his serve in the third. After that I had a chance to break him, but every time I had a chance to break him, he served big time.”
Djokovic leads Alcaraz 4-3 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, although Alcaraz has won two of the pair’s previous three outings in the majors.