Novak Djokovic glides past Etcheverry into last 16 at Australian Open

Novak Djokovic, aged 36, effortlessly sailed into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday, smoothly defeating the 30th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry, aged 24. This victory marked Djokovic's 100th match at the tournament, showcasing his exceptional form.

The 10-time champion required four sets to advance in his first two matches against Dino Prizmic and Alexei Popyrin. However, he faced no difficulties against the Argentine player, winning comfortably with a score of 6-3, 6-3, 7-6(2).

Expressing his satisfaction with his performance, he stated, "I believe this was my best performance in the tournament so far, and I am pleased with my consistent play throughout the entire match." The crowd erupted in cheers at Rod Laver Arena as he made this statement.

Despite battling illness in Melbourne, the world number one managed to maintain his focus and control on the court. He was frequently seen blowing his nose during changeovers, acknowledging that he was not at his peak form.

However, the Friday evening match on the center court was devoid of any drama as Djokovic showcased his trademark style of play, characterized by precision and dominance. Remarkably, he did not face a single break point throughout the match, which lasted just under two-and-a-half hours.

In the first set, Djokovic took an early lead by breaking his opponent's serve in the sixth game, securing a 4-2 advantage. He went on to close out the set successfully. Continuing his momentum, he swiftly broke his opponent's serve again in the second set, establishing a 2-1 lead. He repeated this feat to claim the set.

Etcheverry displayed resilience in the third set, pushing it to a tie-break. However, the outcome seemed inevitable, as Djokovic sealed his victory in style with an ace.

With this appearance, Djokovic has reached a milestone of 100 appearances in his most successful major tournament. He now trails only Roger Federer (117) and Serena Williams (105) in terms of total appearances.

In the next round, Djokovic will face either the French 20th seed Adrian Mannarino or the American 16th seed Ben Shelton. As he continues his pursuit of a historic 25th Grand Slam title, surpassing Margaret Court's record, all eyes will be on Djokovic's performance in the last 16.