Novak Djokovic does not quite own the Australian Open but he has put down a substantial deposit on a tournament where he seems to hit a rhythm more consistently and more quickly than any of his rivals.
If he wins his fifth title, his meticulous attention to diet – which borders on the obsessive – training and pre-match planning will be the underpinning factors that give the world No1 an edge.
After beating the outclassed but promising Russian Andrey Kuznetsov, a friend of Djokovic’s brother, 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 in the second round on Thursday, the Serb agreed. “Generally this is my most successful grand slam,” he said, “and the tournament where over the years I’ve performed my best tennis.
“The reason? There is not one reason but a few reasons: probably the fact that I enjoy the conditions of play – even though the past two years the courts have played faster, significantly faster, than they were before. I still do enjoy being here in Australia. There is a nice, positive, easy-going, sport-oriented energy going around. People appreciate the sport and make you feel good.
“Also, it’s the beginning of the year. It’s the first big tournament. Everybody comes fresh and motivated. I guess in this kind of package it’s a combination of things that make me feel comfortable on the court here.”
Djokovic goes into the third round against the Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco on Saturday buoyed by the knowledge that not only is his own game clicking like a computer but those players left on his side of the draw who pose an obvious threat have not exactly put in towering performances in the first two rounds.
Verdasco said after his 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 defeat of Go Soeda: “I’m happy in general with my level. I’ll have nothing to lose [against Djokovic] and a lot to win. I will fight every ball. Hopefully I will have my best day and he doesn’t.”
John Isner, whom Djokovic may meet in the fourth round, was in tie-break mode yet again, accounting for the Austrian Andreas Haider-Maurer; the unpredictable and dangerous Gaël Monfils fell to Jerzy Janowicz; the improving eighth seed, Milos Raonic, had to fight hard mid-match to turn back the challenge of the one-time American prodigy Donald Young and David Ferrer, seeded ninth, had to come from a set down to beat the Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky, as did the US Open finalist and fifth seed, Kei Nishikori, to beat Nicolás Almagro.
So, Djokovic’s path to the semi-finals is not exactly littered with broken glass. It is likely he will collide there with the defending champion, Stanislas Wawrinka, who pitched him out in the quarter-finals in five sets last year, and even he had to come through two tie-breaks to beat the Romanian qualifier Marius Copil.
Wawrinka plays Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen, who beat the German qualifier Matthias Bachinger in straight sets. “He’s a tough, tough player,” said the defending champion of Nieminen, “loves to play from the baseline in the same rhythm. Loves to use the speed of the ball.
“I’m happy with my game in general. To win two first matches in three sets, it’s great. I’m playing great tennis. I’m practising well, feeling the ball well but this can be two long weeks. You need to be ready to have some up and down.”
Raonic, perhaps, is the most improved player among the elite of the game. Often slow to the shot, he was vulnerable to switches of direction and pace last year but now seems to be more switched on.
“I feel like I’m just sharper on different things, on movement, on efficiency, serving better, being more focused,” the Canadian said. “I’ve put in a lot of good work, I believe.”
He next plays Benjamin Becker, who came from two sets down to beat Lleyton Hewitt in the Australian’s 19th campaign in front of his home audience.
“I played him twice,” Raonic said of Becker. “Most recently in Miami of last year. He plays very compact, likes to use pace. I know the way he likes to play. He did a great job today, making a two-sets-to-love comeback in very tough conditions.”
The players will be thankful for a predicted dip in temperatures over the weekend after a couple of days of killing heat. Djokovic said he was concerned when he heard that Rafael Nadal was suffering dizziness in his match on Wednesday evening.
“He knows to answer the best how he feels on the court. I don’t know,” said the Serb. “From what I have seen he was out there fighting and deserved to win. Now it happens that you have on the opposite side of the net an opponent that plays as well as [the American Tim] Smyczek played, who has nothing to lose.
“I don’t know about his health issues or physical state. Definitely I was not expecting to see him play four and a half hours against Smyczek. People expect him and top players to dominate most of the matches they play, especially in the opening rounds of a grand slam.
“But this is tennis. This is sport. People need to realise that other players are playing as well as the top players do. In the slams you have more motivation. If you have a fight like they had you just have to congratulate the better player. I’m sure Rafa spoke nicely and praised his opponent.”
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