Novak Djokovic is on observe for a record-extending tenth Australian Open title however query marks stay over his health forward of Monday’s fourth-round conflict with Alex de Minaur as his injured left hamstring continues to trigger issues.
Fourth seed Djokovic defeated Grigor Dimitrov in straight units within the third spherical however fears in regards to the sturdiness of his injured hamstring solely grew because the Serbian as soon as once more struggled.
All eyes might be on the bandages that drape the left hamstring when the 35-year-old takes on dwelling favorite De Minaur who, like Djokovic, has dropped one set in Melbourne up to now.
“It’s really difficult to say with Novak exactly what’s happening physically. He’s getting the job done, he certainly doesn’t look like he’s (100) per cent,” seven-times Grand Slam champion John McEnroe informed Eurosport.
Asked if De Minaur might trigger points for Djokovic’s injured hamstring, McEnroe mentioned: “De Minaur is someone potentially (who could do that) because he relies on speed and grit and making an opponent work.
“The type of guy that could cause Novak problems if he’s not 100 per cent.”
Before Djokovic takes on De Minaur, fifth seed Andrey Rublev will play Danish teenager Holger Rune because the Russian bids to achieve the quarter-finals on the season-opening main for the second time in three years.
Rublev, 25, believes ninth seed Rune is not going to be the underdog of their contest, with the Dane a darkish horse on the event following his Paris Masters ultimate victory over Djokovic in November.
In the opposite matches, Spanish twenty fourth seed Roberto Bautista Agut will face American Tommy Paul seeking to equal his finest end in Melbourne, having reached the quarter-finals in 2019, whereas Ben Shelton will play J.J. Wolf in an all-American conflict.
Shelton might be competing within the final 16 of a Grand Slam for the primary time in his profession — a exceptional achievement for the 20-year-old who a yr in the past was No. 569 within the ATP Rankings and nonetheless in faculty.
In the ladies’s draw, final yr’s WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia will bid for her maiden last-eight berth on the event when she comes up in opposition to Magda Linette, the final remaining Pole after Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz exited.
Big-hitting Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, seeded fifth, will intention to stretch her undefeated begin to the season in opposition to Swiss twelfth seed Belinda Bencic, who can be in strong type with a seven-match successful streak.
Czech 17-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova, the youngest girl left within the draw, will play Croatian Donna Vekic for a spot within the quarter-finals as she seems to be to take care of her fairytale run, whereas former world primary Karolina Pliskova takes on Zhang Shuai.