The indomitable Serb was set to face the 20-year-old in Monday’s evening session in Melbourne. However, Mensik was forced to withdraw after suffering an abdominal injury, thus putting Djokovic straight into the quarterfinals.
On Monday, Lorenzo Musetti eased past Talor Fritz 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 to book a date with Djokovic on Tuesday. Djokovic leads their head-to-head record 9-1, with his most recent win coming in the 2025 Athens final. Another factor to consider is the murderous Australian heat, which is set to hit 42 degrees on Tuesday.
Less court time is certainly something Djokovic will welcome as he searches for what has become an elusive 25th grand slam, but he will have to defeat Jannik Sinner in the semifinals and Carlos Alcaraz in the final – if all hold seed – to achieve that goal.
Speaking after his third-round win over Botic van de Zandschulp on Saturday, he said: “[I feel] really good. It’s been a great start to the tournament.
“Obviously, things can change. I’m not getting ahead of myself because last year I learned a lesson. I got too excited too early in some of the Grand Slams, playing really well and getting to the quarters and semis, and then getting injured in pretty much three out of four last year.”
